
Travels 


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by David Cory 


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TRAVELS OF 
PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


Books by 

DAVID CORY 

THE ADVENTURES OF PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr. 
FURTHER ADVENTURES OF PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr. 
PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr. IN FAIRYLAND 
TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, Jr, 


HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK 
[Established 1817 ] 


Travels °/ — ' _ 

RissinBootsJr 

• by David vory ? 



TWILIGHT TALES 
Harper $ Brothers, Publishers 




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MAV 27 1913 


Travels of Puss in Boots, jr. 

Copyright, 1918, by Harper & Brothers 
Printed in the United States of America 
Published May, 1918 

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©Cl. A 4 9 9 1 8 1 




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CONTENTS ' 

PAGE 

Puss Starts Out on His Travels 1 

Puss Meets a Scarecrow 4 

The Wagon-ride 7 

The Wicked Lord 10 

The Rescue 13 

The Little Hut in the Wood 16 

“Mooly, Mooly Cow, Come Away Home!” 19 

The Giant of the Merry Laugh 22 

Puss Buys a New Pair of Boots 25 

Old Friends 28 

Old Mother Witch 31 

Puss Is Bewitched 34 

The Escape 37 

The Cuckoo in the Little Clock House 41 

“All Aboard!” 43 

Mr. Neptune 46 

“Ding, Dong, Bell!” 49 

Mistress Mary’s Garden 53 

Baby Bunting Bunny 56 

Three Blind Mice 59 

The Little Black Hen 62 

My Dame Has Lost Her Shoe 65 

The Duck Ferry-boat 68 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The Golden Goose 71 

The Little Gray Man 74 

The Water Sprite 77 

The Miser 79 

Two Bags of Gold . 82 

Half a Bag of Gold 85 

Another Pussy-cat Lady 88 

Simple Simon 91 

Old Mother Hubbard 94 

The Bad Black Spider 97 

The Pea-green Boat 100 

Puss Meets an Old Friend 104 

The Old Miller 107 

Sweeping Cobwebs . 110 

Robin Hood 113 

The Gingerbread Hut 116 

Baron Bruin 119 

The Bleating Goat 122 

The Magic Tree 125 

The Little Door in the Stump 128 

Puss Goes West 131 

On the Way to Fairy-land 134 

Dreams 137 

The Ruby Ring 140 

The Dreadful Bat 143 

Some Old Friends 146 

The Little Rug Man 149 




TRAVELS OF 
PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 














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TRAVELS OF 
PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


PUSS STARTS OUT ON HIS TRAVELS 



F ATHER,” exclaimed Puss in Boots, 
Junior, one fine day as he and the 
famous Puss in Boots sat together 
in the garden adjoining the castle of 
my Lord Carabas, ”1 feel I should 
not trespass longer on the hospital- 
ity of your good master, but should go forth to seek 
my fortune.” 

“What has put such an idea into your head?” 
asked his father, anxiously. “My Lord of Carabas 
only yesterday remarked that he was happy to know 
you were here to gladden my old age.” 

“But yet and all,” replied Puss, Junior, “I would 
see more of the world.” 

“Tut, tut!” exclaimed his father. “I have been 
seneschal these many years to my Lord of Carabas. 
Never have I wished to see the world again. Once 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


was enough for me, and a hard task it was to procure 
for my lord this very castle outside of whose walls 
you now sit and wish that you were elsewhere. The 
story of my life has been written, and every child 
who reads Puss in Boots knows full well how I helped 
my master in the days of his poverty and trouble/* 
“’Tis true, dear father,** answered Puss, Junior, 
“and although I had many adventures ere I found 
you, still, I would see more of this great world.*’ 
For some time neither spoke. Then the venerable 
Puss, Senior, arose and, placing his right paw upon 
his son’s shoulder, said in a low, trembling voice: 

“ When all the world is young, lad. 

And all the trees are green. 

And every goose a swan, lad. 

And every lass a queen. 

Then hey for boot and horse, lad. 

And round the world away. 

Young blood must have its course, lad, 

And every dog his day.” 

“Then you give me your permission to go out and 
seek my fortune?” cried Puss, Junior. 

“Yes, my son,” replied the old cat, turning away to 
hide his tears. But Puss, Junior, didn’t see the tears. 
He was so delighted to think he could once more go 
upon a journey of adventure that he ran up the 
marble steps of the castle with a hop, skip, and a 
jump, and when he reached his room it took him but 
a few minutes to pack his knapsack. Then placing 
2 


PUSS STARTS OUT ON HIS TRAVELS 


his cap with its trailing feather securely on his head, 
he grasped his trusty sword and hurried down the 
stairs. 

“Good luck, my son!” cried his father, as Puss, 
Junior, threw his paws about him. “Be a good cat 
and all will go well with you.” 

Well, Puss had gone but a little way when he came 
to a post on which was a big sign: 

HE WHO EATS OF THIS GINGERBREAD 
WILL BE THROWN INTO PRISON 

And right at the foot of the post was a big loaf of 
gingerbread. 

Now I don’t know but what Puss might have dis- 
obeyed and tasted that gingerbread loaf if, all of a 
sudden, two of his old friends, the Good Gray Horse 
and Little Dog Buff, hadn’t come along. 

“Get on my back, little master,” cried the Good 
Gray Horse, and then he ran swiftly away with little 
Puss, Junior, safely on his back, for that wise old 
horse wasn’t going to leave Puss near that nice cake 
of gingerbread, let me tell you. 

And in the next story you shall hear what hap- 
pened after that. 


PUSS MEETS A SCARECROW 

N OW wasn’t it lucky that Puss found his old friend, 
the Good Gray Horse, as I mentioned in the 
last story ! For when one starts out on his travels it’s 
mighty nice to be on horseback instead of one’s own 
legs, let me tell you. 

Well, after our three friends. Puss, the Good Gray 
Horse, and Little Dog Buff, had gone for maybe a 
mile and maybe more, they heard a voice call out: 

“Wait a minute, if you please; 

My pants are bagging at the knees. 

My old silk hat is almost off. 

And, goodness me! I’ve got a cough. 

To tell the truth, I’m tired out 
With scaring crows from hereabout.” 

And Puss saw a scarecrow in a corn-field. “Did 
you speak to me just now in rhyme?” asked our little 
traveler. 

“Yes, I did,” answered the Scarecrow, flapping his 
arms about till he nearly fell over. And he would 
have if the pole on which he hung hadn’t been placed 
in the ground very firmly. “If you’ll take me with 
4 


PUSS MEETS A SCARECROW 


you, I’ll tell you lots of things, for the man who once 
owned my coat was a great traveler, and the man who 
owned my old silk hat was an actor, and the man 



who wore my trousers was a conductor on a passenger- 
train, and the farmer who put me on this pole has made 
lots of money and owns an automobile.” 

“But if you come with us who will stay to keep the 
naughty crows away?” asked Puss. 

5 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


“I don’t care,” replied the Scarecrow. “They all 
know that I’m only an old-clothes man. They’re not 
the least bit afraid of me. Only this morning one 
of them sat on my hat and laughed when I told him to 
fly away.” 

“But how are you going to walk?” asked the Good 
Gray Horse. “You can’t ride me, for I won’t have 
you.” 

“You just pull the pole out of the ground and 
set me free,” replied the Scarecrow, “and I’ll walk on 
my own two legs even if they are only made of straw. 
I’ll show you.” 

So the Gray Horse jumped over the low stone wall 
and, taking the pole between his strong teeth, pulled it 
out of the earth and set the Scarecrow free. And then 
that Scarecrow gave a loud yell and jumped over the 
stone wall like a college man. And then he said, 
“Let’s be off to seek adventure, for I’m so happy I 
am free that I could swim across the sea!” 

So off they started. Puss on the Gray Horse and the 
Scarecrow following with Little Dog Buff by his side, 
and by and by they came to a town called Happyville. 
“This is the place for me,” cried the Scarecrow. 
“I’ll treat you all to an ice-cream soda.” 

And in the next story you shall hear more about 
these four jolly comrades. 


THE WAGON-RIDE 


I N the story before this we left off just as Puss, 
Junior, on his Good Gray Horse and the Scare- 
crow with Little Dog Buff by his side were entering 
the town of Happyville, you remember, and the 
Scarecrow had remarked, “Let us get an ice-cream 
soda.” But how he knew anything about ice-cream 
sodas puzzles me, and maybe it puzzles you, but just 
the same that’s what he said, “Let’s all get an ice- 
cream soda!” 

“I’ll take a quart of oats if it’s all the same to 
you,” said the Good Gray Horse. “And I’ll take a 
bone, if you don’t mind,” said Little Dog Buff. 
“And I’ll take cream without any ice and soda, if 
you don’t care,” added Puss, Junior. 

“Have what you like,” said the Scarecrow, kindly, 
and he put his hand into his coat pocket and pulled 
out a big roll of bills. “I’ve got enough money to pay 
for anything and everything, thanks to the great 
traveler who once owned my coat,” and he laughed 
a big hearty laugh and slammed a twenty-dollar bill 
down on the counter and the soda-water man jumped 
nearly over the show-case, he was so surprised. 

7 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


Well, after everybody had eaten the thing he liked 
best, they started off once more and by and by they 
came to a wagon-shop. And just outside stood a 



beautiful new wagon with yellow wheels and a blue 
body. “ If you can draw that wagon,” said the Scare- 
crow, “I’ll buy it.” 

“Of course I can,” replied the Good Gray Horse, 
for the Scarecrow had spoken to him, only I didn’t 
think to say so till this very second. 

8 



THE WAGON-RIDE 


“How much?” asked the Scarecrow of the wagon- 
builder, who came out of his shop to look at our 
four friends. 

Well, the price wasn’t too much, so the kind 
Scarecrow bought it and a nice set of harness, too, for 
the Gray Horse, and pretty soon they were rattling 
down the road with Puss, Junior, holding the reins and 
the Scarecrow and Buff on the rear seat. 

“This is much better than walking on straw feet,” 
remarked the Scarecrow, “and much faster, too. 
We’ll get somewhere now if we only keep going.” 

And you can just bet they kept going. The way 
the Good Gray Horse threw out his heels was simply 
wonderful, and the way those yellow wheels went 
round was simply marvelous. Why, they went so fast 
that the spokes seemed all to run into one another 
and make a great round yellow moon, and everybody 
bumped up and down, for the road was rough. But 
nobody cared, for he was so happy, was each little 
traveler. 

Well, after a little way, the old silk hat blew off the 
Scarecrow’s head, and Puss, Junior, had to stop and 
let him get out. And while he was running back to 
pick it up, Rowley, the frog who would a-wooing go, 
you know, jumped out of a little pool of water by the 
roadside and begged to be taken along. 

“Jump in,” said Puss, Junior, with a grin. “The 
more the merrier.” 

And now we must wait until the next story to hear 
what happened after that. 

2 9 


THE WICKED LORD 


W ELL, as I was saying in the story before this, 
Rowley, the frog who would a-wooing go 
whether his mother would let him or no, jumped into 
the wagon with Puss, Junior, and his friends, the 
Scarecrow and Little Dog Buff, and away they went. 
And this time you may be sure the Scarecrow pushed 
his old silk hat ’way down on his head so it wouldn’t 
blow off again. 

By and by they came to a bridge. One of those 
very old-fashioned bridges, you know, all covered 
over like a big long barn. And when they got right 
in the middle an old owl flew down from the roof and 
sat on the front seat next to Puss, Junior. “Take 
me with you, dear Puss, Junior,” he said. “Only first 
let me put on my green goggles, for the daylight hurts 
my eyes.” 

“Come along,” cried Puss, but the Good Gray 
Horse turned his head around and said, “I don’t 
mind an owl or another pussy cat or a little boy and 
girl, but please don’t ask an elephant to get in and 
ride, for that would be too much of a load for even 
my strong legs.” 


10 


THE WICKED LORD 


“Don’t worry, dear comrade,” said Puss, “there 
are no elephants in New Mother Goose Land, 
neither is there room in this wagon for so large 
an animal.” This evidently contented the Good 



Gray Horse, for he trotted along as nicely as you 
please, and by and by they came to a great castle 
on a hill. 

“Who lives yonder?” asked Puss, but nobody knew. 
So the Good Gray Horse kept right on up the road 
till he came to the castle. And then Rowley the 
frog gave a great “Honk! Honk!” just like an 
automobile horn, you know, and the gates swung 

open. Then in trotted the Gray Horse with his 
ll 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


wagon-load of funny folks, and the keeper of the 
gates could hardly keep from smiling. 

“Tell the lord of this stately castle,” cried little 
Puss, Junior, “that the son of the famous Puss in 
Boots has brought his friends with him to make a 
call.” 

“Very good, Sir Cat,” said the keeper of the gates, 
respectfully, and he bowed low and retired within 
the castle, and presently he reappeared and invited 
them all to come in. 

Now the lord of this stately castle was not a very 
good man. He not only robbed every one who passed 
his lands, but made prisoners of many and held them 
for ransom. So as soon as he heard that the son of 
the famous Puss in Boots was outside, he chuckled 
to himself and said under his breath: “Ha, ha! Now 
for a princely ransom!” But he never said anything 
like that to Puss, who entered at that moment. Oh 
no! He was most polite. and offered them all a seat. 
But by and by he said, “ Don’t you want to look over 
my castle?” And when he got the chance he locked 
Little Dog Buff in a closet and Rowley Frog in a 
spare room and the Scarecrow in a chamber. But he 
waited until the last to make Puss, Junior, a prisoner. 

And I’m sorry that I have no more room in this 
story to tell you what happened after that, so wait 
until the next story, please, little reader, and then 
I’ll tell you. 


THE RESCUE 


E had to leave off, in the last story, just at 



V V the exciting part. It was just after the wicked 
lord of the castle had locked up Puss, Junior’s 
friends, you remember. And while this wicked lord 
was wondering what to do with Puss, all of a sudden 
our little hero drew his sword and said, fiercely: 
“What have you done with my friends? Where are 
they, my lord?” But he only laughed and replied: 
“Never question the hospitality of your host. Sir 
Cat. Your friends are in the garden looking at the 
roses.” 

And then he blew a silver whistle and immediately 
four big soldiers appeared. “ Bind Sir Cat and throw 
him in the dungeon,” and before Puss in Boots, 
Junior, could defend himself he was bound and taken 
away. 

And, oh, dear me ! it was dark and gloomy in that 
deep dungeon, for it had only a small window ’way 
up high with iron bars across it. Poor little Puss sat 
down on a rough wooden bench and tried hard not 
to be miserable. For the first time in his life he felt 
he was in great danger. How long he sat there he did 


13 



TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

not know, when, all of a sudden, a little squeaky voice 
said to him : 

“ Cheer up, Puss, Junior. I will help you,” and, look- 
ing down, he saw a little mouse at his feet. 


“Are you not afraid I will eat you?” asked Puss, 
sadly. 

“Not in the least,” replied the little mouse. “Take 
heart, my friend. I will run to the tool-house and 
bring you a file with which you may cut the iron bars 
and so make your escape.” And then the mouse 
disappeared, and when she returned she had a file in 


THE RESCUE 


her mouth. Well, it took Puss some time to saw 
through those great iron bars, but at last he did, and 
then he squeezed through and climbed down to the 
ground. 

“But how am I to save my friends?” he asked 
himself. And then he suddenly thought of the good 
knight. Sir Launcelot of the Lake. So without a 
moment’s delay he set off at a rapid pace and by 
nightfall reached the Court of Good King Arthur. 

It did not take him long to tell Sir Launcelot his 
troubles, and in a short time that noble knight with 
ten others were hurrying back with Puss to the rescue. 
The wicked lord saw them coming, but before he 
could escape they surrounded the castle, battered 
down the gates, and entered the courtyard. Here a 
fierce battle took place, the lord of the castle striving 
to overcome the brave Sir Launcelot. But right 
always wins in the end, and at length the wicked lord 
was forced to surrender and give over the castle to 
the knights of the Round Table. In a short time Little 
Dog Buff, the Scarecrow, and Rowley Frog were set 
at liberty, and then Puss took his three friends in the 
wagon and drove away with Sir Launcelot and his 
brave knights. 

And in the next story I will tell you some more ad- 
ventures that Puss, Junior, had while on his travels 
through New Mother Goose Land. 


THE LITTLE HUT IN THE WOOD 


AS Puss, Junior, drove off in the wagon with his 
ii three friends, Little Dog Buff, the Scarecrow, 
and Rowley Frog, the Good Gray Horse turned his 
head and said: 

“Isn’t it nice once more to be free?” And the 
reason he said that, you remember, was because in 
the last story our friends had been imprisoned in the 
castle of the wicked lord. But thanks to the help of 
the little mouse Puss had rushed off to the Court of 
King Arthur and had brought Sir Launcelot and his 
knights to the rescue. I don’t know why I’m telling 
you this all over again, except for the reason that 
perhaps some little boy or girl may not have read what 
has gone before. 

Well, Puss and his friends hadn’t gone very far 
when Mr. Rowley Frog met a cousin of his. You see, 
they had just come to a pond by the roadside and the 
frog who owned the pond was sitting on a log, and 
when he saw Mr. Rowley Frog he called out: “Hello, 
Rowley! Where are you going?” And Mr. Rowley 
Frog said, “Oh, please stop the wagon,” and Puss 
pulled up the Good Gray Horse and out jumped the 
1G 


THE LITTLE HUT IN THE WOOD 


frog and went over and shook hands with his cousin. 
“ I guess I’ll make him a visit,” he said. So Puss drove 
on, and by and by they came to a little dog-house by 
the roadside, and the big yellow dog that lived there 



called out to Buff: “Hello, there, Cousin Buff! 
Where are you going?” And then Buff jumped out 
and said good-by. So Puss drove on some more, and 
by and by they came to a corn-field, and there right 
in the middle stood a scarecrow, and when he saw our 
friend, the Scarecrow, sitting in the back seat of the 
wagon, he called out, “Hello, there. Cousin Scare- 
crow!” And of course the Scarecrow wanted to make 
17 



TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


a visit in the corn-field, and so Puss drove on with 
nobody in the wagon except himself. 

“Once more, we are alone, good comrade,” he said 
to the Good Gray Horse. 

“Well, as we are alone again, you and I, little 
master, let us leave the wagon here, for we can travel 
faster without this four-wheeled cart.” 

So Puss unhitched the Good Gray Horse, and, 
mounting his back once more, rode off through a shady 
path in the woods. And after he had gone for some 
distance he came to a wood-cutter’s lodge, a humble 
little hut made of logs, with a chimney which was 
nothing more than a hole in the roof, with a sort of 
roof over that to keep out the rain. And in the door- 
way stood the poor wood-cutter, looking here and 
there as if expecting some one to return. And when 
he saw Puss he ran forward and inquired if he had 
seen his wife. “She has a red shawl and carried the 
baby in her arms.” 

“No, I have seen no one,” replied Puss, Junior. 

“I am worried,” said the wood-cutter. “ ’Tis 
several hours since she left and she should be back 
by this time.” And just then a bird began to sing, 
and as they listened they heard it say: 

“Over the hills and far away. 

With her baby on her arm, 

I saw a tired woman to-day 
Stop at a busy farm.” 


“MOOLY, MOOLY COW, COME AWAY HOME!” 


AS the little bird stopped singing the song I told 
-fv you about in the last story, the figure of a 
woman came in sight. 

“There she is!” cried the wood-cutter, and he ran 
toward her with a glad cry. “ Where have you been?” 
he asked, and the woman replied, “To a farm to get 
some milk for the baby, for it was fretful to-day and 
our cow has wandered away.” 

And then the little bird began singing: 

“Oh mooly cow, mooly cow, come away home. 

Why all the day did you wander and roam? 

The dear little baby was hungry, I know. 

Oh mooly cow, mooly cow, why did you go?” 

And then, all of a sudden, they heard a cow mooing 
in the distance, and in a few minutes who should come 
in sight but the Cow that Jumped over the Moon. 
And as soon as she saw Puss, Junior, she quickened 
her steps and in a few minutes was close at his side. 

“I got lost in the woods,” she said, “and, oh, dear 
me! I had such a time finding my way back. But 

here I am, and, Mr. Wood-cutter, if you’ll only milk 

19 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


me. I’ll give I don’t know how many quarts of milk, 
for I found some lovely grass by a little brook. Oh, 
it’s good to be home,” and she sighed a great big 



sigh and waited for the wood-cutter to bring out his 
milking-pail. 

“Tell me how you came here,” said Puss, sitting 
down on the log, while the Good Gray Horse whinnied 
and smiled at the Cow that Jumped over the Moon. 

“Oh, I grew tired of the old farm,” she replied, 
“and one day I wandered off into the woods, and when 
20 



“ MOOLY COW, COME AWAY HOME!” 


I came to this little cabin it looked so sweet and 
comfortable I just stayed here. That was before the 
baby came, you see, and now I couldn’t go away 
until he grows up to be a big, strong man.” And just 
then the wood-cutter came out with his milking-pail, 
and when he finished milking it was so full that it ran 
over and made a little milk puddle, and Puss drank it 
all up, for he was hungry with his long journey. 

“You shall have some cake, too,” said the wood- 
cutter’s wife. “Will you wait until I put baby to 
bed?” So Puss took off his boots and stretched him- 
self out, and I guess he fell asleep to the tune of the 
lullaby which she sang to the baby. 

“Sleep, little baby, mother is nigh. 

Look at the twinkle star up in the sky. 

Down through the tree-tops it shines with a light 
That looks like a diamond, it glitters, so bright. 

Sleep, little baby, for mother is nigh, 

And the twinkle star’s shining at you from the sky.” 

And the Good Gray Horse kept on munching the 
soft grass, and by and by the wood-cutter’s wife came 
out and put Puss to bed, and he never woke up, he 
was so very, very tired, until the next day. 


THE GIANT OF THE MERRY LAUGH 

T HE next morning when Puss, Junior, woke up 
he was surprised to find himself in the wood- 
cutter’s cottage, for, you remember, in the last story 
he had fallen asleep and had never waked up when 
the kind wood-cutter’s wife put him to bed. 

Well, as soon as he had his breakfast, he took out 
his purse and gave her a gold piece. “Keep it for 
baby,” he said, with a grin, as he jumped into the 
saddle and said “ Gid-ap” to his faithful Gray Horse. 
Then on he rode for many miles until he came to a 
deep river. There was no bridge anywhere in sight, 
and he was just about to turn away and seek another 
road when he heard a voice say: 

“Whistle three times, Sir Cat, and the ferry-boat 
that goes to Toy Town will take you over.” So Puss 
did as he was told, and presently a ferry-boat came up 
close to the bank and Puss urged his Good Gray 
Horse over the gang-plank which the sailors put out, 
and soon he was aboard and out in the middle of the 
stream. 

Pretty soon the Captain came down from the pilot- 
house and began to talk, and he told Puss that Toy 
22 


THE GIANT OF THE MERRY LAUGH 


Town was a lovely place where all the dolls could 
talk and the railroad cars would run without winding 
and the tops spin themselves. 

“ I shall be glad to see them,” said our little traveler, 
“for I’ve never been to a town where there are such 



queer people, except, perhaps, Alphabet Town, where 
the letters are all alive and you have to be an artist to 
write a letter.” And Puss laughed and told the 
Captain all about Alphabet Town, and as the Captain 

had never been there, he was very much interested 
23 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


and said some day when he grew rich enough he’d sell 
his ferry-boat and go traveling. 

Well, after that the boat reached the other side and 
Puss guided his Good Gray Horse over the gang- 
plank and rode away, after paying the Captain two 
pennies, for that was the fare. 

And after he had ridden for many miles he came to 
a castle where lived a giant. Now this giant was a 
very kind sort of a big man and liked little people, 
and when he saw Puss astride of the Good Gray 
Horse he laughed long and loud, and said in a voice 
that sounded like a thunderclap : “Ho, there, my little 
friend in red-top boots! Where are you going. Stop 
and make me a visit.” 

“Maybe I’m afraid to,” said little Puss. “I once 
had a narrow escape from the Giant of the Beanstalk. 
I may have a hard time with you.” But the giant 
laughed, and this time he laughed very low so that 
it only sounded like distant thunder. “Never fear, 
little cat,” he said, kindly, “come inside and see my 
castle, and then you shall go on your way, and when 
you see your father tell him you met the Giant of 
the Merry Laugh, who had to look through a magnify- 
ing glass to see your whiskers!” And then the giant 
laughed so hard that all the apples fell off the trees. 

So Puss entered the castle and in the next story 
you shall hear of another adventure that Puss had. 


PUSS BUYS A NEW PAIR OF BOOTS 


> Puss entered the castle, which belonged to the 



l \ Giant of the Merry Laugh, as I told you in the 
last story, he almost stumbled over a giant mouse. 
It was the largest mouse Puss had ever seen. Indeed, 
it was almost as big as he was, so you can see it must 
have been a pretty large mouse. 

“I’m not afraid of you,” he said, with a very loud 
squeak, and then he whisked his long tail and laughed 
at Puss. 

“Look here,” cried the Giant of the Merry Laugh, 
“don’t you know who this is? This is Puss, Junior.” 
And when the giant mouse heard that he said: “Pleased 
to meet you, Sir Cat. I have often heard of you from 
the little people of Mother Goose.” And then he put 
out his paw and shook hands with our small traveler. 

And after that the Giant showed Puss all over the 
castle, and many strange things were there. And they 
were all so very big that it made Puss feel dreadfully 
small, and he was very glad when it was time to say 
good-by, for he wasn’t used to such great big things, 
you know. So he mounted his Good Gray Horse and 
rode away and by and by he came to a blacksmith 


3 


25 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


shop, where he stopped and had the smith look at 
the shoes on the Good Gray Horse. For a traveler is 



always careful to see that the shoes on his steed are in 
good repair. 

“Tick, tack, two or three. 

Give the horse a shoe. 

Here’s a nail that will not fail. 

Tick, tack, two.” 

“Can you put a shoe on me?” asked Puss, with a 
grin. 


PUSS BUYS A NEW PAIR OF BOOTS 


“No, my little cat,” replied the smith, “but there’s 
a cobbler in town who will do the trick. His shop is 
down the street a little ways.” So after the Good 
Gray Horse was shod Puss rode off, and by and by he 
came to the boot-shop. And right in front of his door 
sat the cobbler, a little old man with a bent back and 
knotty hands, and when he saw Puss he said: 

“ Shall I make you a boot. Sir Cat, to-day? 

I have a pair that is laid away 
Upon the shelf, with red tops, too. 

Come, let me sell them now to you.” 

“Very well,” replied our little traveler. “If they 
fit me I will buy them, for mine are indeed shabby 
with much travel.” „ 

So the old bootmaker got down the boots and they 
fitted Puss without a wrinkle. “What is the price?” 
he asked, gazing down at them with a grin. “They 
fit me well, but will the price?” 

“Make me an offer, Sir Cat,” replied the cobbler, 
“and if you are as generous as you are good-looking, 
they are yours.” So Puss took a gold piece from his 
purse, and the shoes were his. 

And after that he set off once more upon his travels. 


OLD FRIENDS 


OU remember, in the last story, how Puss bought 



I a new pair of boots, don’t you? Wasn’t it lucky 
that the old cobbler had a pair already made that 
would fit, for how could Puss in Boots, Junior, con- 
tinue his travels without red-topped boots, I would 
like to know, and so would you. 

Well, after that he rode away on his Good Gray 
Horse, down the road, leaving the little village be- 
hind until the church spire looked like a needle 
pointing up into the clouds. And after a while he 
came to a sheepfold where there were many little 
lambs at play; so Puss climbed up on the fence to 
watch them, and pretty soon an old sheep came over, 
and, would you believe it, it was Mary’s Little Lamb, 
only it had grown up to be a big lamb, you know, and 
had some little lambs of its own. 

“Have you seen Mary?” it asked, and then two big 
tears rolled down its cheeks, for it was very fond of 
Mary, although it had been a long, long time ago 
since Mary had taken it to school. 

Well, before Puss could answer, who should come 
by, with a little boy, but Mary herself. And when 


28 


OLD FRIENDS 


she saw Puss she said — for at first she didn’t remember 
the sheep, for it was grown so big, you see — “Helloa, 
little Puss, Junior! Where have you been and where 
are you going?” 



“Yes, where are you going?” said Little Tommy 
Tucker, for that was the name of the boy. “I don’t 
sing for my supper any more. I live with the Old 
Woman Who Lives in a Shoe,” and he climbed up on 
29 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


the fence and sat beside Puss, while Mary played 
with the little lamb. “We have a phonograph that 
sings all my songs.” And then, all of a sudden, a 
Blackbird flew down from the sky and pecked at 
Puss, Junior’s, nose. But he was only in fun, you 
know, and when Puss looked at him he saw he was 
the same Blackbird 

Who on a Monday morning 
Had pecked at the nose 
Of the maid who in the garden 
Was hanging out the clothes. 

“Don’t you do that again,” said Puss, “for I re- 
member how you hurt that poor maid’s nose and how 
I had to go to town to fetch Doctor Foster, and you 
should have outgrown such tricks by this time.” 

“Yes, you bad bird,” cried Mary, “if you want to 
pinch noses, go into the woods and find Old Mother 
Witch. She has a long hooked nose and a wicked 
heart. But you let nice people alone !” And this made 
the Blackbird dreadfully ashamed of himself, so he 
said, “If you’ll go with me, Puss, Junior, I’ll tweek 
Old Mother Witch’s nose as sure as I am black.” 
“I’ll go with- you,” replied our little hero, and after 
asking Mary to take the Good Gray Horse home with 
her, he followed the Blackbird into the forest. 

And in the next story you shall hear what happened 
there. 


OLD MOTHER WITCH 


P USS, JUNIOR, followed the Blackbird deep 
into the forest. I hdpe you remember why 
they were going there, but if you don’t I’ll remind 
you. The Blackbird had made up his mind to give 
Old Mother Witch’s nose a pinch, and a pinch twice 
as hard as the one he gave the nose of the Maiden 
in the Garden Hanging Out the Clothes, and that 
was quite a pinch, I guess, as everybody knows, for 
the King who was so busy a-counting of his money, 
and the Queen who was so happy eating bread and 
honey, had heard the Maiden screaming when off 
the Blackbird flew because she thought her pretty 
nose was bitten quite in two. 

Well, now that I’ve told you all this, we’ll go back 
to the forest and peek in through the trees and see 
what happens there. 

“Don’t make any noise,” said the Blackbird, “for 
if that old witch hears us she’ll do something dread- 
ful.” So Puss pulled off his boots and tiptoed along, 
but, oh, dear me! every once in a while he’d step 
on a dry twig and then it would snap like a pistol. 
“ ’S-s-sh!” cautioned the Blackbird. “We are nearing 

the witch’s cottage.” And in a few minutes they saw 

31 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

standing in the doorway of her little log house the 
wicked Witch. And, oh, dear me! wasn’t she a 
terrifying-looking person. Her nose crooked down to 
meet her up-crooked chin, and her wicked black eyes 
glittered fiercely and her knotted fingers grasped a 
crooked staff. 

“Who comes here?” she called out in a cracked 
voice. 

And then the Blackbird flew swiftly over and gave 
her nose a tweak, which made her little black eyes 
water. 

“Scat, you evil bird!” she screamed, and she 
struck at him with her crooked staff, but she never 
hit him. Oh my, no! For that Blackbird was too 
quick for her. He darted back among the trees where 
Puss was hiding. 

“Cowardly bird!” screamed the old witch. “Come 
near me again and I will beat you with my 
staff.” And then what do you think our brave little 
Puss, Junior, did. He stepped out from behind the 
tree and walked toward her. 

“I am Puss, Junior,” he cried, waving his sword, 
“and many a little character in Mother Goose have 
I defended. I fear you not.” 

“Oh ho!” cried the witch. “Am I to be flouted by a 
cat?” and she grasped her staff and ran toward our 
little hero. 

“Come no nearer,” he commanded, “or I will use 
my trusty sword. For you are a wicked witch and I 
shall show you no mercy.” 

32 


OLD MOTHER WITCH 


At these words she stopped, glaring fiercely at him. 

“What would you have?” she asked. 

“A promise,” answered Puss, Junior. “You must 
promise me to steal no more little lambs from the 
fold. Neither to frighten the little robins nor the 
silver fishes in the stream.” 

“I will not!” she shouted, and again she advanced 
toward Puss, Junior. 

And in the next story you shall hear what happened 
after that. 


PUSS IS BEWITCHED 

I WAS dreadfully sorry to have to stop so suddenly, 
in the last story, before I could tell you what 
happened after the witch threatened little Puss, 
Junior, with her crooked staff. But I didn’t have 
any more room, and, anyway, don’t you think it’s 
nice to be able to look forward to the next story and to 
wait for mother to read it to you? 

Well, to go on with my story, Puss wasn’t frightened 
the least little bit. No, sir! He just stood there until 
the witch was close enough to hit him with her staff, 
and then he climbed up the tree and grinned at her 
from the branch overhead. 

“You can’t harm me,” he said, “for I have a 
magic plume in my cap which once belonged to 
the Gingerbread Witch, and I have my trusty sword 
which my famous father. Puss in Boots, gave me, 
and I have done nothing wrong. So why should I 
be afraid?” 

“And why should I be afraid, either?” asked the 
Blackbird, flying up to the branch and sitting close 
beside our little traveler. 

“I will make your feathers white,” screamed the 
34 



PUSS IS BEWITCHED 

witch, and then, all of a sudden, quicker than a wink, 
that Blackbird became as white as snow. 


“Now, what do you think of my power?” asked the 
witch, with a wicked grin. 

“I don’t care,” replied the Blackbird — and I suppose 
now I’ll have to call him the Whitebird. “White 
feathers don’t hurt and maybe they are more be- 
35 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


coming,” and with these words he flew over to the 
brook and looked at himself in the water. 

“And now,” said the witch, “I’ll change you into 
a squirrel,” and she waved her staff at Puss and said, 
“Presto, change !”and what do you suppose happened? 
Well, I’ll tell you in a minute. Puss just sat there and 
grinned and the feather on his cap waved back and 
forth until the witch grew so angry that she almost 
flew into a passion, as the story-books say. And 
then she changed herself into a fierce wildcat and 
climbed up the tree after Puss. 

“Have a care,” cried the Whitebird. “Don’t let her 
bite you!” But Puss needed no advice. He jumped 
nimbly down to the ground and ran into her house 
and bolted the door, but not until the Whitebird had 
flown in through the window, which he closed with 
his beak after fastening the strong wooden blind. 

And then wasn’t that wildcat witch wild! She 
was so furious that she scratched and bit the door 
until she was so tired that she had to lie down and 
rest. 

“Let her stay outside all night,” said Puss, Junior, 
with a grin, looking at himself in a mirror which hung 
on the wall. And would you believe me if I told you 
what he saw. Well, listen, but don’t get worried. 
He saw a squirrel looking at him from the mirror. 

And in the next story I’ll tell you how Puss regained 
his former shape — that is, if you can wait until then. 


THE ESCAPE 


W ELL, you can imagine how surprised Puss was 
to see what had happened to himself, but he 
didn’t say anything. He just looked in the mirror 
again and remarked to the Whitebird: “What do 
you think of me now? A squirrel with red-topped 
boots. Why, my own father wouldn’t know me!” 
And he began to laugh. 

“That witch has caused Us lots of trouble,” said 
the Whitebird, and if you don’t know what he means, 
you will have to read over the story before this. 

“How am I ever to change myself back into a cat?” 
asked Puss, turning the mirror face to the wall, for 
he didn’t like to look at himself any more, and I don’t 
blame him. Do you? 

Without answering, the Blackbird — I mean the 
Whitebird — flew over to a little cupboard and took out 
a small bottle of perfume. And on the label was 
written, “Magic Perfume.” Then dipping the tip 
of his wing into the liquid, he touched Puss, Junior, 
who at once turned into a cat. And of course the 
Whitebird turned into a Blackbird, and after that 
our two little friends looked into the mirror, which 
37 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


Puss turned around the right way, and they were 
very happy to see their reflections in the glass. 

“But how are we to get away?” asked Puss, squint- 
ing out of the window. “There’s that dreadful 
wildcat witch waiting for us to open the door.” 
Without answering, the Blackbird flew over to the 
cupboard again and picked up a piece of meat. And 
then he carefully poured a little of the Magic Perfume 
on it and, opening the window just a crack, threw the 
meat to the wildcat witch, who swallowed it with 
one bite. And instantly she changed into a little 
mouse, and before she could run away Puss darted 
out through the door and caught her, and with one 
fierce shake he shook her to death. 

“Whew!” exclaimed Puss. “Let’s get away from 
here before something else happens,” and then he and 
the Blackbird started off through the woods, and by 
and by they came to the sheepfold where they had 
left Mary and her little lamb. But she was nowhere 
to be seen, so the Blackbird said : 

“We will go to her house, and you can get your 
Good Gray Horse and continue your journey of 
adventure.” 

And after Puss had told Mary all about the wicked 
witch, he mounted his horse and rode away. 

“Heigh-ho!” he said to himself, after he had gone 
many miles and the day was drawing to a close — 
“heigh-ho, I must find a place to sleep, for it will 
soon be dark.” And just then he heard a whippo’- 
will say: 


38 


THE ESCAPE 


“ Over the top of yonder hill 
Is a little white cloud that is soft and still. 

I think it is waiting for me to rest 
My tired head on its soft white breast. ,, 

And this made Puss, Junior, so sleepy that he closed 
his eyes and went sound asleep on the back of his 
Good Gray Horse. 


THE CUCKOO IN THE LITTLE CLOCK 
HOUSE 


The cock in the barn-yard crows at dawn 
To wake the farmer to hoe the corn. 

And the merry sun hears his early call. 

And rolls through the sky like a big gold ball; 

But here in my little clock house on the wall 
Every hour I carefully call, 

In a sing-song way, “Cuckoo, cuckoo!” 

Day after day, the whole year through. .. 

AS the Cuckoo finished, from the distant woods 
was heard the voice of a bird. “Who is calling 
from the forest ?” asked Puss, looking at the Cuckoo 
in the little clock house. 

“That is the cuckoo of the woods,” she replied. 
“She is a lazy bird. She lets the hours go by with 
never a thought, while I — well, I am a musical re- 
minder of the flight of the hours.” 

And then, who should come in but the farmer, 
hungry and tired, and when he saw Puss he said, 
“With whom are you talking?” For the Cuckoo had 
jumped inside her little clock house and had closed 
the door, and of course the farmer wondered why 

Puss was talking, for he couldn’t see anybody around. 

40 


THE CUCKOO IN THE LITTLE CLOCK HOUSE 


But when he told the farmer the good man wouldn’t 
believe that the Cuckoo could talk, for he had never 
heard her say anything but “Cuckoo.” 



Well, after that, dinner was ready, and the farmer’s 
wife got out a little high-chair that belonged to her 
boy when he was little and placed it near her, and 
then she called to Puss, and he jumped up and sat at 
the table as nice as you please. 

And after they had finished Puss took a lump of 
4 41 



TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


sugar out to the Good Gray Horse and set off again 
on his journey, and by and by he came to a man all 
dressed in red-and-white striped trousers and a blue 
coat with stars sprinkled over it. And he was riding 
on a pony, his whip was made of macaroni, and in his 
cap a feather gray was waving in a manner gay. . 

“Hold on, my good sir!” Puss called out. “Pray 
tell me the name of yonder town.” And then Yankee 
Doodle Dandy — for this was the man’s name — pulled 
up his pony and turned around in his saddle. 

“Why, it’s Puss, Junior!” he exclaimed. “Glad 
to meet you again. Do you remember the day we 
met, how the Man in the Moon came down too 
soon?” 

“I do indeed,” replied Puss, while the Good Gray 
Horse rubbed noses with the pony. “Where have 
you been since then?” 

“Oh, I’m riding around and singing patriotic 
songs,” said Yankee Doodle Dandy. “ Would you 
like to hear one?” and then he began: 

“ Yankee Doodle doodle-do 
Loves the Red and White and Blue, 

The stars upon the deep blue field. 

The Eagle on the battle-field 
That flies above the U. S. A. 

And leads the soldiers to the fray.” 

And in the next story you shall hear the name of 
the town our two friends were approaching. 


“ALL ABOARD !” 


T HE name of the town I promised to tell you in 
the story before this was Londonderry. But 
if Yankee Doodle Dandy hadn’t told me, I never 
would have been able to tell you, for Puss didn’t ask 
him again, for by this time they were crossing a 
bridge and on a sign-post was painted in big red 
letters : 

LONDONDERRY 

And just then they saw a funny little man with a 
basket on his arm and he was singing in a high, 
cracked voice: 

“To Londonderry to buy a wig, 

Jigerty, jigerty, jigerty, jig. 

With six nice eggs from the busy farm 
In the little basket on my arm.” 

And when he saw Puss, Junior, on his Good Gray 
Horse and Yankee Doodle Dandy on his pony, that 
little old man began to dance, and his hat fell off and 
showed a very bald head, and the eggs flew out of the 

basket and broke all over the ground, but still the 
43 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

little man kept on dancing. And now I’ll tell you the 
reason. It was because Yankee Doodle was whistling 
such a merry tune that nobody could keep still, not 
even the Good Gray Horse, who began to prance 
about and stand on his hind legs. And the pony 
began to dance, too, and he and the Good Gray 
Horse stood up on their hind legs and put their 
front feet together and waltzed around and around 
again, Mary. Or something like that. 

“Please stop whistling,” cried little Puss, Junior. 
“If you don’t I’ll surely fall off.” So good-natured 
Yankee Doodle Dandy put his hand over his mouth 
to stop the whistle and soon everybody grew quiet 
again. 

Well, just then a boat came up to the wharf close 
to the bridge, and the Captain called out, “Sir Cat! 
Sir Cat!” 

“What do you wish?” asked Puss, walking his 
horse out upon the wharf. 

“Come, take a voyage with me,” said the Captain. 
“We are to sail at noon for a foreign shore.” 

“Let us go, little master,” whispered the Good 
Gray Horse. “I have never seen Neptune’s horses 
with their foamy white manes, nor have I ever been 
to foreign shores.” This was enough for Puss, so he 
gladly accepted the Captain’s invitation, and in a 
short time the vessel was upon the deep blue sea with 
little Puss, Junior, and his faithful comrade, the Good 
Gray Horse. 

Now the Captain was a very kind man and soon 
44 


“ALL ABOARD !” 


he and Puss were the best of friends, and in the 
evening they sat together and Puss told the Captain 
all about his adventures, and the Captain told Puss 
all about his, and, oh, dear me! they had a fine time. 
And the Good Gray Horse, whenever the wind blew a 
gale, looked out of the port-hole to see the sea-horses 
with their flying, foamy manes and tails. 

And in the next story you shall hear some more 
about Puss, Junior, on the deep blue sea. 


MR. NEPTUNE 


O NE bright morning, as Puss stood on the deck 
of the ship, he saw a pair of wonderful sea- 
horses. Behind them they dragged a beautiful 
pearly boat in which sat a gray-haired man. His 
long, flowing beard reached below his knees, and the 
wind and the spray from the waves mingled with it 
until it was hard to tell whether his beard was not 
really the long white wake that stretched out from 
the stern of the boat. 

And when the Good Gray Horse, who had carried 
Puss, Junior, so long and faithfully on land, looked 
out of a port-hole and saw Neptune’s horses, he 
neighed until they answered him with a shrill cry. 

All day long they followed the ship and when 
evening came they were still in sight. And by and 
by, when the stars were out and the moon was bright 
in the heavens above, Puss, Junior, heard Neptune’s 
horses talking to the Good Gray Horse, who had 
thrust his head out through the port-hole in order to 
hear what they were saying. 

“Come with us,” they pleaded, “for the sea is a 
beautiful place and the seaweed meadows are soft and 
green.” 


46 


MR. NEPTUNE 


But the Good Gray Horse shook his head. “I don’t 
know how to swim as well as you,” and then he looked 
up to the deck and saw little Puss, Junior, leaning 
over the rail. 



“I have never seen the seaweed meadows,” cried 
our little traveler. “I am in search of adventure. 
Can you not take my Good Gray Horse and myself 
in your boat?” And at this the gray -haired man, 
whose name was Neptune, turned his face toward 
Puss and spoke in a voice that sounded like the 
47 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


wind in a great sea cave, “Are you the son of 
Puss in Boots?” 

“I am, Mr. Neptune,” replied Puss. “Oh, please 
take my Good Gray Horse and me for a ride in your 
beautiful pearly boat.” 

And then the Good Gray Horse came up on deck 
and told Puss to get on his back, and then he jumped 
off the deck right into the water, and in a few minutes 
he scrambled into the pearly boat. 

“Now show your speed,” cried Neptune to his sea- 
horses, and away they went, faster than the rein- 
deer of Santa Claus, until they came to a lovely green 
island where Mr. Neptune lived. And when they 
were on shore Mr. Neptune said to Puss, Junior, 
“My daughters will be delighted to see you, for they 
have often read about you in the Neptune News , 
and every night they wait eagerly for the dolphin 
newsboy to bring it from the porpoise printer.” And 
after that the sea-horses went to their coral stable 
near the shore and Puss on his Good Gray Horse 
followed Mr. Neptune to his wonderful castle, where 
his three lovely mermaid daughters stood waiting to 
receive them. 

4 And in the next story you shall hear more about 
this wonderful island where Mr. Neptune lived. 


“DING, DONG, BELL!” 


OU remember, in the last story, how Puss, Junior, 



A landed on Neptune’s island with his Good Gray 
Horse, and how Mr. Neptune invited him to go to his 
castle to meet his three mermaid daughters. Well, 
as soon as they reached the castle the door opened 
and there stood the lovely mermaids. And before we 
go any further, let me say right here that the castle 
was built in a beautiful green sea-water pond so that 
the mermaids could swim about in the castle, for of 
course they couldn’t walk, you know, for they had 
tails and not feet, as all real mermaids have. 

“I don’t know exactly how you’re going to get 
along in my castle,” said Mr. Neptune, thoughtfully. 
“You can’t swim, so what’s to be done?” 

“Leave that to us,” laughed the three mermaids 
all in one breath, and, do you know, it sounded just 
like music, for their voices were very soft and sweet. 
And then they pushed forward a little mother-of- 
pearl boat for Puss to ride in. “Now leave the Good 
Gray Horse out in the meadow,” they said, “for the 
grass is tender and green and he will have a fine 
dinner.” And pretty soon they went into the dining- 
49 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 



hall of the castle and had a wonderful feast. And 
after that Mr. Neptune showed Puss all over the 
castle until there was nothing more to see, so Puss 


said he must be going, and Mr. Neptune hitched up 
his wonderful sea-horses to the pearly boat and took 

Puss and his Good Gray Horse across the water until 
50 


"DING, DONG, BELL!” 


they came to the mainland. But when they started 
to get out, the Good Gray Horse said he would like 
to spend his vacation with Mr. Neptune’s sea-horses; 
so Puss said he might and started off by himself. 

Now, at first it seemed very lonely to be going 
along without his old comrade, the Good Gray Horse, 
but Puss had done it before, and, after all, he was a 
brave little cat, so on he went, and by and by he came 
to a pretty village where the church bell was tolling, 
"Ding, dong, bell!” 

"What can be the matter?” thought Puss, running 
up to a crowd of people who stood around an old well 
on the village common. "Something must have 
happened.” 

And just then a small boy began crying, “Pussy’s 
in the well.” 

And in another minute a very wet pussy cat was 
lifted out of the well and placed carefully on the grass. 
She lay very still, with her eyes closed and her pretty 
fur all soaked with water. 

“Who put her in?” Puss asked, angrily. 

“ Little Tommy Green,” everybody answered at once. 

“What a naughty boy was that 
To drown poor pussy cat, 

Who never did him any harm 

But killed the mice in his father’s barn.” 

shouted Puss, Junior, forgetting, in his excitement, 
that he was reciting his favorite Mother Goose rhyme. 

“You bet he was,” cried little Johnny Stout. “It’s 

lucky I pulled her out. Perhaps she isn’t quite dead.” 

51 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


“I’m afraid she is,” answered Puss, Junior. Still, 
if she wasn’t in the water too long, we may save her. 
It usually takes a long time to drown the nine lives 
of a cat.” You see, he knew the old saying that 
every cat has nine lives! 

And then he rolled her over and over on the grass, 
for he remembered hearing once that this was the 
proper way to bring a drowning person to life. 

Pretty soon poor pussy cat gave a faint, “Meow!” 
and opened one eye, and after that she stood up with 
the water trickling down her face and dripping off in 
little drops from her scraggly tail. 

“I guess she’s all right now,” said Puss, Junior. 
“Isn’t there some kind little girl who will take her 
home and cuddle her up nice and warm? Isn’t there 
some little girl who would like a pussy for a pet?” 

“Oh, let me have her!” cried Little Bo-Peep. 
“Since I’ve lost my sheep I’ve been longing for a pet 
to play with,” and then she picked up pussy in her 
arms and ran off to her home. 

“Well, this ought to be a lesson to every boy here 
to let pussy cats alone,” said Puss, Junior. “Where 
is Tommy Green?” 

And didn’t Tommy Green look ashamed when 
some one pushed him out of the crowd! “You tell 
your father,” said Puss to the naughty boy, “to duck 
you in the well so you’ll know how it feels,” and then 
he curled his whiskers until , they stood out like 
bayonets, for he was very angry, and then he picked 
up his hat and resumed his journey of adventure. 

52 


MISTRESS MARY’S GARDEN 



OU remember, in the last story, how Puss, Junior, 


X saved the poor pussy cat and how he scolded 
naughty Tommy Green for throwing her in the well. 
And I hope every little boy, after reading this story, 
will never, never tease a poor pussy cat. 

Well, after that, Puss trudged along and by and by 
he met Little Bo-Peep, and, oh dear me! she was 
crying as if her heart would break, for she had lost 
her sheep, you know, and didn’t know where to find 
them. 

Well, the first thing Puss, Junior, said was, “I’ll help 
you find them,” and then he looked around. But 
there were no sheep anywhere to be seen. And just 
then Little Boy Blue came by, blowing his horn to call 
the cows from the fields of corn, so Puss asked him 
whether he had seen any lost sheep. 

“The sheep are in the meadow and the cows are in 
the corn, and that is why I do not cry but blow my 
silver horn,” replied Little Boy Blue. 

Then Puss and Little Bo-Peep hurried down to the 
meadow, and there, sure enough, were her sheep. 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


“And now that you have found them,” said little 
Puss, Junior, “I must be on my way.” And he set 
off again, and by and by he came to a garden sur- 
rounded by a high wall. So up he climbed and looked 
over. And what do you think he saw? Why, some 
silver bells and cockle-shells and pretty maids all in a 
row. And the pretty maids were only dolls, but 
Mistress Mary thought they were the loveliest things 
in the world. 

“Mistress Mary, quite contrary. 

How does your garden grow?” 

asked Puss, Junior, and then he jumped down from 
the wall and made a pretty shell house for one of the 
dolls to live in. 

“Oh my, but you’re a nice pussy!” said Mistress 
Mary, who really wasn’t a bit contrary, you know, 
and she let him ring one of the little silver bells. 
And then, all of a sudden, Puss said, “Meow! I’ve 
got my boot full of sand, and it tickles my toes.” 
So of course he had to take it off right then and there 
and pour out the sand, and after that he made up a 
little rhyme, which went something like this, if I 
remember right, only I may have forgotten one or 
two lines, for the little bird that told me had only a 
few minutes to stay on my window-sill and I couldn’t 
make my typewriter go fast enough to write it all 
down: 


54 


MISTRESS MARY’S GARDEN 


“Mistress Mary, quite contrary. 

Ring your silver bells 
Till the roses and the posies 
And the cockle-shells 
Dance upon your garden wall 
Where the ants and beetles crawl.” 

And then Puss took off his other boot, for that was 
half full of sand by this time, and turned it upside 
down until it was empty. 

And in the next story you shall hear what happened 
after that. 


BABY BUNTING BUNNY 


OU remember, in the last story, how Puss, 



Junior, played with Mistress Mary, quite con- 
trary, in her garden of cockle-shells and silver bells. 
Well, now that the sand was out of his boots, Puss was 
ready for anything, and when Mary, quite contrary, 
invited him into the house, he pulled them on in a 
moment. Perhaps he thought he might get a cooky or 
a saucer of cream, I’m sure I don’t know. Well, 
anyway, if he thought this, he said nothing, but 
followed her across the garden and up on the big 
porch, and just as she opened the front door the big 
Grandfather Clock in the hall struck the hour. 


“Dickory, dickory, dock! 

The mouse ran up the clock. 

The clock struck one, and down he come, 
Dickory, dickory, dock!” 


But, oh dear me! This was too much for Puss, 
Junior. It made him think of the good old days 
when he went mouse-hunting, and so he started after 
him, and just then Mistress Mary’s mother walked 


56 


BABY BUNTING BUNNY 

into the hall, and before Puss could stop he bumped 
into her. 

“Mercy! What’s that?” she exclaimed, while Puss 
blushed and stammered out an excuse. 

“I’m very sorry, but I didn’t see you,” he said. 

“Don’t feel badly about it,” answered Mistress 
Mary’s mother, and then she looked at our little 
traveler and laughed. 

“Why, it’s Puss in Boots!” 

“You have guessed nearly right,” he answered. 
“I’m his son, Puss, Junior. I am seeking adventures, 
and am traveling through Mother Goose Land to 
meet all the little people who live there.” 

And then our little traveler began to recite this 
little poem: 

“Oh, I’m the son of Puss in Boots 
And I have traveled far. 

I’ve seen the merry Man in the Moon 
And the Twinkle, Twinkle Star. 

And some day I shall write a book 
Of th,e wonderful things I’ve seen. 

That is, when I’ve been through Fairy-land 
And met the fairy Queen.” 

And this so delighted Mistress Mary that she took 
from her little finger a gold ring and gave it to him, 
“for,” said she, “you are a poet, Sir Puss, and I 
want you to wear my ring to remember me by.” 

Well, after that Puss said good-by and continued 
on his way, and by and by he came to a queer little 
R 57 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


house by the roadside where lived a little rabbit. 
And when Puss knocked on the door, who should 
open it but the Bye-O-Baby Bunting Bunny. 

“Baby Bunting’s father may be a good hunter,” 
said the little rabbit as Puss sat down on the porch 
to have a talk, “but he didn’t catch me; he didn’t 
get my furry skin to wrap his Baby Bunting in.” 

“How was that?” asked Puss. “Didn’t he have a 
gun?” 

“He did,” answered the little rabbit, and then he 
winked his eye. “ But I was too quick for him. Only 
the bullet took off the tip of my tail.” 

And then he told Puss all about it, and I would tell 
it to you, only there’s no more room in this story. 


THREE BLIND MICE 


O NE day, as Puss, Junior, was trudging along a 
pretty road, on either side of which were fields 
of clover, he came to a shady lane leading to an old 
farm-house. And just as he was about to open the 
gate an old woman came running toward him. Her 
gray hair was flying in the wind and the strings of her 
bonnet streamed out behind her like the tail of a kite. 
And close at her heels scampered three little mice. 

“Three blind mice! See how they run!” 

chirped a robin in the apple-tree. 

“They all ran after the farmer’s wife,” 

yelped a little yellow dog. 

“Who cut off their tails with a carving-knife,” 

mooed a big white cow, looking curiously over the 
old rail fence that bordered the shady lane. 

“Did you ever see such a sight in your life?” 

59 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

inquired a little black hen, and she flew up on the rail 
close to the good-natured cow. 

“No, I never did,” replied Puss, Junior. 

But, oh dear me! just then the old woman turned 



and cut off the tails of the three little mice with a 
great big slash of her carving-knife ! 

“Squeak, squeak, squeak!” cried the three little 
mice, one after another. 

“Oh dear, oh dear!” cried Puss. 

“If you had only arrived a little sooner,” said the 
farmer’s wife, picking up the three little tails, “you 
might have saved me all this trouble. I’ve told these 
pesky mice over and over again if they didn’t stop 
eating my nut cake I’d cut off their tails. But they 
wouldn’t believe me, and now they’ve had the im- 
pertinence to chase me out of my own house. So 


THREE BLIND MICE 


I’ve just gone and done it.” And then she waved 
the three little tails at the three little mice, who were 
huddled together in a corner of the old rail fence. 

“But how could I have helped you?” asked Puss, 
Junior. “All little animals are my friends, and I 
never harm any one unless he first harms me. You 
see,” he added, dusting off the red tops of his boots 
and clapping his hand upon his sword, “ I’m a traveler 
in search of adventure, and my father is the famous 
Puss in Boots.” 

“Well, I declare!” exclaimed the old woman. And 
just then the three little mice came forward and the 
largest one ran up to Puss and said: 

“Dear Mr. Puss, Junior, what you have just said 
makes my brothers and myself feel that you are a 
friend. Won’t you please ask the old woman to give 
us back our tails?” 

“Will you?” asked Puss, Junior, turning to the 
farmer’s wife. 

“If they’ll promise to let my cake alone,” she 
replied. 

“Indeed we will!” cried the three little mice all at 
once. So she handed them their tails and they 
scampered away. 


THE LITTLE BLACK HEN 


I WONDER where I’ll go now?” said Puss, Junior, 
as the farmer’s wife, who had just cut off the 
tails of the three little mice, returned to the house 
without even so much as bidding him good-by. 

“Come with me,” said the Little Black Hen. 
“What for?” asked Puss, doubtfully. 

“ ‘What for?’ ” said the mooly cow. “Why, she’s 
the 

“Hickety, pickety, my Black Hen, 

She lays good eggs for gentlemen. 

Gentlemen come every day 

To see what my Black Hen doth lay.’’ 

“Indeed!” said Puss. “Of course I will.” And 
then the Little Black Hen jumped off the fence rail 
and, giving a contented cluck-cluck, strutted across 
the field. The good-natured mooly cow and Puss 
followed. 

“She’s a wonderful little thing,” confided the cow 
to Puss, as they neared a big red barn, on one side of 
which stood a great haystack and on the other a well- 
filled corn-crib. “You should see the fine gentlemen 
62 


THE LITTLE BLACK HEN 


who drive up every morning to get one of her nice 
fresh eggs.” 

“Now I'm going into the barn,” said the Little 



Black Hen, “and when I cackle three times I’ll have 
something to show you.” 

So Puss, Junior, and the cow sat down on the 
milking-stool and waited, and after a while, just as 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


the Little Black Hen said, “ Cackle, cackle, cackle !” a 
big automobile dashed into the back yard. “Honk! 
honk!” screamed the bright brass horn. 

“Look out!” yelled Puss, Junior, scrambling off 
the milking-stool. But the good-natured mooly 
cow didn’t even move. She sat perfectly still and 
chewed her cud, for she wasn’t afraid of automobiles, 
even if she never had ridden in one ! 

“Well, I declare!” exclaimed one of the gentlemen as 
he got out of the car. “Here’s a fine pussy cat booted 
and spurred and a mooly cow sitting upon a milking- 
stool. And just then the Little Black Hen came out 
of the barn and commenced to cackle at a great rate. 

“Come in,” she said, “and see my nest full of lovely 
white eggs.” So the two fine gentlemen and Puss, 
Junior, followed her into the barn, and there right 
close to the mooly cow’s stall was a little round nest. 
But the good-natured mooly cow didn’t get off the 
milking-stool. She just sat there chewing her cud in a 
most contented way. 

“I can’t let you have more than two eggs to-day,” 
said the Little Black Hen, “for I’m going to give Puss, 
Junior, one and that will leave only the china egg in 
the nest.” And after that she sang this little song: 

“Every day an egg I lay. 

I’m a thrifty hen. 

But if you must take two. 

Please don’t come again.” 


MY DAME HAS LOST HER SHOE 

Y OU remember, in the last story, that the Little 
Black Hen had just laid an egg for the gentle- 
men. Well, after that the Big Red Rooster strutted 
around the corner of the barn and commenced to 
crow: 

“ Cock-a-doodle-do ! 

My dame has lost her shoe.” 

“Dear me!” said Puss, Junior, “I’m very sorry.” 
“So are we,” said the two fine gentlemen in the 
same breath as they carefully placed the two little 
white eggs in a basket and stowed it away on the back 
seat of the automobile. 

“It seems to me I noticed a lady’s shoe by the 
roadway just before I turned into the lane,” said 
Puss, Junior. “I think it had a silver buckle on it.” 

“That’s it!” shouted the Red Rooster, and just then 
the farmer’s wife came out of the house. 

“Ask her,” said the Little Black Hen. “I don’t 
remember whether she had a silver buckle on her 
shoe, but if the Big Red Rooster does, why, it must 

be so, for he knows everything.” And this so pleased 
65 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


the Big Red Rooster that he turned a somersault and 
sang “The Star-Spangled Banner ” over three times. 
“Did your shoe have a silver buckle on it?” asked 



Puss of the farmer’s wife, who, you remember, in two 
or three stories ago cut off the tails of the three little 
mice. 

“Yes, but what’s that got to do with you?” she 
answered, crossly. “ Isn’t it bad enough to lose a shoe 
without being asked if it had a silver buckle on it?” 

“Get into the automobile, my good woman,” said 
6G 


MY DAME HAS LOST HER SHOE 


one of the fine gentlemen, “and we’ll take you down 
the road and maybe we’ll find the pretty shoe, with 
the buckle on it, too.” So the farmer’s wife climbed 
into the car. 

“Honk! honk!” went the big brass horn. 

“ Cock-a-doodle-do !” crowed the Rooster. 

“Cluck, cluck!” went the Little Black Hen, but 
the big, good-natured mooly cow never said a word; 
she just sat on the milking-stool and chewed her cud. 

“I’m glad I don’t wear shoes,” said the Little 
Black Hen as the automobile disappeared down the 
shady lane. “I like my little yellow toes just the 
way they are.” 

“Boots are very handy on a long journey,” said 
Puss, Junior. “ I don’t know what I should have done 
without mine.” 

“Well, I have no time for travel,” replied the Little 
Black Hen, and after that the automobile returned 
with the farmer’s wife, who began to sing: 

“Well, I have found my shoe, 

Mr. Cock-a-doodle-do, 

And the silver buckle, too.” 

And then she thanked Puss, Junior, for having told 
her that he had seen it by the roadside. 

And after that he said good-by and resumed his 
journey of adventure. # 


THE DUCK FERRY-BOAT 


O NE morning Puss, Junior, awoke to find himself 
under a spreading chest nut-tree. He had for- 
gotten that he had fallen asleep the night before and 
that the owl who owned this beautiful big tree had 
invited him to sleep beneath its friendly shade. 

Puss rubbed his eyes and looked about him. The 
golden rays of the morning sun as they gleamed 
through the open spaces made him blink and wink, 
so that he hardly noticed the ferns and wild flowers 
smiling under the touch of the merry sunshine. 

“Heigh-ho!” yawned Puss. “I must be up and on 
my way, for a traveler must never be lazy.” 

“Bravely said,” tooted the owl who owned the 
tree, and he flew down from his house in a big hollow 
limb and handed our small traveler a saucer of cream 
for breakfast. And as soon as Puss had drunk it he 
said good-by and went upon his way, and by and by 
he came to a great big pond. But how was he to get 
across, for there was no boat in sight, and he didn’t 
want to swim with big boots on his feet, and of 
course he wouldn’t leave his boots behind him? 


THE DUCK FERRY-BOAT 


And while he sat there wondering what to do a big 
white duck swam up to the bank. 

“Oh, duck, dear duck, see, here I stand. 

My trusty sword held in my hand. 

I wish to cross this water wide. 

Upon your back pray let me ride.’ , 

“Get aboard !” said the duck. “I’m just as good as 
a ferry-boat.” So Puss, Junior, sprang nimbly on her 
back and away they went over the water. 

“Your feet are just as good as paddles,” said Puss, 
“and you’re painted white — I mean you are white — 
just like the last ferry-boat I was on.” 

“Weil, I’m glad you’re satisfied,” said the duck, 
and she made her feet go so fast that in a few minutes 
they were at the opposite shore. 

“Take this,” said Puss, and he handed the duck a 
bright penny. “This was given to me by a little 
boy some time ago, and I’ve kept it ever since. 
But you take it, for you’ve been very kind.” 

“That’s just what I want,” said the duck. “You 
see, I’m teaching my little ducks how to dive. Now 
when I get home I’ll throw it in the water and they 
can dive for it, and whoever gets it first can buy a 
stick of candy.” 

“Well, well,” laughed Puss, “that’s a good idea. 
Here’s another penny. It isn’t as bright as that one, 
but it will do in case you lose the first one.” 

“By the way, my little friend,” said the duck as 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


Puss started to go upon his way, “where do you 
expect to find lodgings when evening comes?” 

“I’m sure I don’t know,” answered Puss, “but a 
wise traveler never crosses his bridge till he comes to 



it.” And Puss winked as he repeated this saying, 
which you have probably heard. “About a day’s 
journey from here,” continued the duck, “lives a 
cousin of mine, the Golden Goose. Tell him you 
know me and all will go well with you,” and with 
these words the duck swam away, 

70 


THE GOLDEN GOOSE 


W ELL, after Puss, Junior, left the pond over 
which the white duck had so kindly carried 
him, our little traveler came to a forest where sat a 
Golden Goose upon a log. 

“Pray excuse me if I don’t shake hands with you,’* 
said the beautiful bird, rising and flapping her golden 
wings, “but the truth is whoever touches me can 
never withdraw his hand.” 

“What!” exclaimed Puss, Junior, surprised. 

“Most certainly,” answered the Golden Goose. 
“Did you never read the fairy-story of the little boy 
who cut down a tree and found me at the roots?” 

“Oh, I remember now,” said Puss, “though it is a 
long time since I read the story.” 

(And if any little boy or girl doesn’t know this 
story, if he’ll write me a letter I’ll tell him where he 
can find it.) 

“But where are you going?” inquired the beautiful 
Golden Goose as she preened her feathers with her 
smooth yellow bill. 

“Oh, I’m just in search of adventure,” replied our 
little hero, and he flicked the dust off his red-topped 
71 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


boots and clapped his right paw upon his trusty 
sword. “I’m a traveler.” 

And just then a little old gray-haired man appeared, 



and so startled the Golden Goose that she fell off the 
log. 

“Fear me not,” said the little man, “for was it not 
I who told the little boy to cut down the tree and 
release you from your wooden prison?” And this 
made the Golden Goose feel more comfortable and she 
scrambled back upon the log and nestled up close to 
little Puss, Junior. 


72 


THE GOLDEN GOOSE 


“ But whom have we here?” asked the little old man, 
looking at Puss with a kindly smile. 

^ Puss in Boots, Junior,” replied our little hero, 
with a bow. 

“You look like your father,” said the little gray 
man. “He had the finest whiskers I ever saw on a 
cat, and yours are just like his,” and of course this 
pleased Puss, Junior, immensely. 

“But, come,” continued the little gray man, “night 
will soon be here. I can offer you a night’s lodging 
and a good supper, for he who travels hard by day 
must eat and sleep by night,” and with these words 
the little old man arose and led our two small friends 
into the forest, and by and by they came to a small 
hut. 

“He is a good man and will not harm you,” whis- 
pered the Golden Goose, and then the three entered 
the doorway. 

“I have but little to offer,” said the old gray man, 
“but such as I have you are welcome to,” and after 
a little while he made some broth, and with a loaf of 
black bread they had a hearty supper. And then they 
all sat around the fire and the little old man told them 
stories of elves and witches and red stars and pink 
moons until little Puss, Junior, fell sound asleep and 
never woke up until the sun was shining through the 
tree- tops of the big forest. 

6 


THE LITTLE GRAY MAN 


OU remember, in the last story, how Puss, J unior. 



went to sleep in the hut of the little gray man 
of the wood. Well, after he had dreamed of pink 
moons and red stars and green-eyed witches and 
black cats, he was awakened by the Golden Goose 
saying: 

“Wake up, little pussy, the sun’s in the sky; 

He’s winking at you with his bright golden eye. 

So, hurry and dress, as a little cat should, 

And soon you’ll be off on your way through the wood.” 

And in a short time Puss was dressed and ready for 
his journey. “ I have a favor to ask of you,” said the 
little gray man, and he handed our small traveler a 
package. 

“What is the favor?” asked Puss. “Before I 
promise I must know what I am to do, lest in com- 
plying too readily with your request I repent at 
leisure.” 

“Never fear,” replied the little gray man, “it is an 
easy task. Near by stands a stately castle, in which 
live a Ring and Queen. For many years they have 


74 


THE LITTLE GRAY MAN 


wished for a child, and now at last fortune has smiled 
upon them and the Queen is the mother of a lovely 
baby girl. To-day is the christening. All the fairies 
have been asked to the feast and they will bring with 



them many gifts. Now, my dear Puss, I am an old, 
old man and I am not able to attend this grand affair. 
But, nevertheless, I would send a present. May I 
ask you to be the bearer of my gift?” 

So Puss set out with the little package, and by and 
by he came to the stately castle where the little baby 
was to be christened in sight of courtly lords and 
75 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


ladies and the fairies of the wood. And when the 
King and Queen saw Puss they rose from their throne 
and said : 

“Ah, here comes the son of the famous Puss in 
Boots, for never have we seen a cat with red-topped 
boots since the time his illustrious parent paid us a 
visit.” And after that Puss, Junior, was led up to 
the throne by two pages. 

“Welcome, Puss, Junior,” cried the lovely Queen. 

“Welcome, Sir Cat,” cried the King, and he shook 
our little hero by the paw. 

“I have a gift from the little gray man of the 
wood,” said Puss, “and I am instructed by him to 
lay it at the feet of the baby princess.” So Puss was 
led up to the royal cradle, where he carefully set down 
the gift which the little gray man had intrusted to 
his care. And when the package was opened what 
do you think was found inside? Why, a beautiful 
pair of pearl ear-rings, and on a card was written: 

She who wears these rings of pearl 
Ne’er shall fear an evil churl. 

Noble knight shall win her hand, 

Make her queen of all the land. 

“Ah,” said the King, “this is a magic gift!” And 
he smiled at Puss, who felt very proud to have been 
the bearer of the little gray man’s present. And after 
that he went upon his way, hoping for a new adventure 
which would turn out as well as this one. 

76 


THE WATER SPRITE 


O NE morning, as Puss, Junior, came to the edge 
of a little winding brook, he heard a silvery voice 
exclaim : 


“Who looks within these waters bright 
That gleam like silver stars at night 
Will ever after think of me, 

The Spirit of these waters free.” 

And then the loveliest Water Sprite came out of the 
brook and waved her silver wand over a yellow butter- 
cup, which immediately turned into a golden throne. 
And after the lovely Water Sprite had seated herself 
upon it, she turned again to Puss, Junior, and said: 

“Whither goest thou, Sir Cat?” 

“I am seeking my fortune,” he replied. 

“Have you searched for the pot of gold that hangs 
on a rainbow?” she asked. 

“I once slid down a rainbow,” replied Puss, with a 
grin, “but the only thing I found at the end of it was 
a big haystack.” 

“Well, maybe that was better than a pot of gold,” 
said the little Water Sprite, “for it no doubt saved 
your life.” 


77 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


“Well, the next time I see a rainbow I shall look 
for the pot of gold,” said Puss, Junior, and after that 
he took off his hat and bowed to the fairy Water 
Sprite and continued his journey of adventure. And 
by and by he came to a little house in the woods, so 
he peeked into the window to see what was inside, 
for the door was closed and he thought it better not 
to knock, for he didn’t know who might open the 
door, you know. 

And while he was looking in a little dog ran up and 
opened the door without even so much as a knock. 
Now, inside was a lovely pussy cat sitting by the fire, 
and Puss was just going to tap on the window-pane 
when the little dog opened the door. 

Pussy sits by the fire, 

Warming all her fur. 

In comes a little dog 
Just to worry her. 

“So, so. Mistress Pussy, 

Pray how do you do?” 

“Thank you, thank you, little dog. 

Much better without you.” 

But the little dog began to bark, so Puss boldly 
opened the door and said: 

“Don’t you dare bark at Mistress Pussy Cat,” and 
then he drew his sword and he looked so fierce that 
the little dog ran out of the house and far away, and 
he never stopped till the end of the day. 

And in the next story you shall hear some more 
about Puss, Junior, and his adventures. 

78 


THE MISER 


Y OU remember, in the last 3tory, that Puss had 
frightened away the little dog that was barking 
at Mistress Pussy. Well, after that Puss, Junior, 
was a hero in her eyes. She thought he was the bravest 
cat she had ever met and she gave him a little gold 
ring. And then Puss told her he was searching for his 
fortune and that a lovely Water Sprite had told him to 
find the pot of gold that hung on the end of the rain- 
bow. 

“Well, I can tell you where there is more gold than 
you will ever find in a pot,” said Mistress Pussy, and 
then she told Puss about an old miser who lived in an 
old stone castle not very far away. 

“But he won’t give me any of his gold,” said Puss. 
“ People don’t give away money like that, and he’s a 
miser, too.” 

“I will tell you a secret,” said the little pussy cat. 
“His castle is overrun with rats and mice, and if you 
can find a way to get rid of them I’m sure he’ll give 
you a handsome reward.” 

“Well, it’s worth trying,” said Puss, Junior. So he 
said good-by and started off for the miser’s castle, 
79 



TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

and by and by he came to the big front gate, on which 
he knocked with the hilt of his sword. And after 
a while it was opened just a little and a thin, cracked 
voice asked who dared to knock so boldly. 


“Puss in Boots, Junior,” replied our small traveler. 
“Oh ho!” said the voice. “A cat, eh? Well, that 
gives me an idea,” and then the gate opened wider 
and Puss saw the old miser. And, oh dear me! 
80 


THE MISER 


wasn’t he a dreadful-looking person! His clothes 
were all tattered and torn, and his hair was long and 
his beard unshorn. 

“If I let you come in,” he said, “you must first 
promise me one thing.” 

“And if I come in you must promise me one thing,” 
answered Puss, Junior, as boldly as a robber. 

And this made the miser stop to think, for he was 
afraid that Puss might ask him for some money, and 
that was the last thing he would part with. Yes, 
indeed. For he was the miserliest old miser in all 
Mother Goose Land. But he was also very wise, 
so he didn’t reply to Puss, Junior’s, remark, but said, 
“If I let you in you must promise to rid the castle of 
all the rats and the mice that eat my cheese and 
spice.” 

“I will do that if you will pay me well,” replied 
Puss, “for I must have money and you have plenty.” 
But, oh dear me ! when the old miser heard that he 
almost shut the gate. But after he had thought a 
moment he said, “Come in, and I will pay you well 
if you rid me of these pesky rats and mice.” This is 
what he said to Puss, but what he thought to himself 
was that he would let Puss do all this for him and then 
throw him out of the castle without paying him 
anything. 


TWO BAGS OF GOLD 


OU remember, in the last story, how the misery 



A old miser was going to let Puss kill all the rats 
and the mice that lived in the castle, and then not 
give him a cent for doing it. Well, before we go any 
further I’ll tell you right here that I won’t let that 
mean old miser play any such trick on little Puss, 
Junior. No, indeed! Not if I have to buy a thousand 
traps and send them up to the old miser and make him 
pay for them and Puss, Junior, besides! 

“Well, come in,” said the miser, and he led Puss 
into the old broken-down castle. And just then a big 
rat darted across the floor and a little mouse peeped 
out of her hole, and this made the old miser very 
angry. “That’s the rat that gnawed the string to 
one of my money-bags,” he said. “And that’s the 
little mouse that ate my bread and cheese,” and then 
that miserly old miser grew even more angry. 

“Well, before I begin,” said Puss, “I want you to 
promise to give me two bags of gold if I rid your 
castle of all the rats and the mice.” 

“Agreed!” said the mean old miser, although lie 
didn’t mean to keep his promise at all, you know. 


82 


TWO BAGS OF GOLD 


So Puss took off his coat and his red-top boots and 
his pink waistcoat and his hat with the big waving 
plume, and then he got down on his four paws and 
crept softly out of the room. “Ha-ha!” said the old 
miser. “I’ll soon be rid of all the rats and the mice 



without it costing me a penny,” and he rubbed his 
hands together, and then he sat down and waited. 

Well, he didn’t have to wait very long before Puss 
came back and said: 

“There is not a rat nor a mouse left in your castle; 
83 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


not even the baby mice. So give me the money that 
I may be on my merry way.” But the mean old 
miser began to laugh loudly, and then he said: 

“What have you done with them all?” So Puss 
took him over to the window and showed him all the 
rats and the mice marching away. 

“There they go,” said Puss, “and they’ll never 
come back.” 

“Well, you follow after them,” said the wicked old 
miser, and he tried to push Puss out of the window. 
And this made Puss, Junior, so angry that he gave 
three loud whistles, and back came all the rats and the 
mice as fast as they could. And when the old miser 
saw that, he brought out two bags of gold and gave 
them to Puss. “Now tell the rats and the mice to get 
out,” he said in a cross voice. So Puss took the bags of 
gold and went out of the castle, and all the rats and the 
mice followed after, and by and by they came to 
another old castle where a kind lord lived who didn’t 
have any money. So Puss gave him a bag of gold for 
his castle, and then Puss turned the castle over to the 
rats and the mice to live in for ever and ever, and the 
kind lord went to London to live, and Puss went on 
his way to seek more adventures. 


HALF A BAG OF GOLD 



OU remember, in the last story, how Puss left 


-■> the castle of the old miser with two bags of gold 
under his arm, and how he bought, with one of them, 
a castle for the rats and mice to live in for the rest of 
their days. Well, after that he went upon his way with 
the remaining bag of gold under his arm, and by and 
by he came to a poor wood-cutter’s hut in the middle 
of the forest. And when he knocked at the door it 
was opened by the wood-cutter’s wife, who was crying 
bitterly, for her good man was ill and she had no 
money to pay for a doctor. So generous little Puss, 
Junior, opened his bag of gold and gave her half, and 
the rest he put in his pockets, and then he said good- 
by and went upon his way, and by and by he came 
across Little Red Riding-Hood. And, oh dear me! 
wasn’t she frightened, for a wicked wolf had scared 
her poor old grandma nearly to death and had run off 
with her big fat goose. 

“And now we’ll have no Christmas dinner,” sobbed 
Little Red Riding-Hood, and this made Puss feel so 
badly that he gave her five gold pieces. Wasn’t that 
generous in him? And if he keeps on he’ll have to 


85 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


find another fortune, for he won’t have a penny left, 
will that dear little generous pussy cat. 

“Heigh-ho!” said Puss to himself. “I wonder what 
will happen next.” And then, all of a sudden, an old 
owl commenced to toot, so Puss stopped and asked 
him what time it was. And the wise old bird put his 
claw in his pocket and tooted again: 

“I forgot to wind my watch last night. 

And I didn’t wake up this morning 
In time to ask a robin, you see, 

For I was sleepy and yawning.” 

“Oh dear!” said Puss. “What shall I do?” 

“Don’t worry,” said the kind old owl. “You can 
sleep in my nest. There is room for two.” 

So Puss took off his boots and climbed up the tree, 
and he nearly dropped one of them, for it wasn’t easy 
to hold them between his teeth, let me tell you. 
Well, when he got inside of Mr. Owl’s house he found 
it a very nice sort of place, for Mrs. Owl kept it neat 
and clean. And when the next morning came Puss 
gave them a gold piece and climbed down the tree 
and set off once more upon his journey of adventure, 
and by and by he came to a little house, so he peeked 
through the open window. 

“What are you doing, my little men?” asked Puss, 
Junior. 

“ Making coats for gentlemen,” replied six little mice 
who were seated around a table, busily sewing. 


HALF A BAG OF GOLD 


“Shall I come in and bite off your threads?” asked 
Puss, with a grin. 

“No, no. Puss, Junior. You might bite off our 
heads,” and before he could say a word they scampered 
away. Wasn’t that too bad, for Puss never would 
have harmed them, and, besides, I wonder what the 
gentlemen will say when they don’t get their coats 
on time? Perhaps they will give these six little tailor 
mice a dreadful scolding. 


ANOTHER PUSSY-CAT LADY 


OU remember, in the last story, how Puss 



frightened the six little tailor mice. Well, 
after that he went down the road, and after a little 
while he met another pussy cat who carried a green 
parasol over her head and a pretty vanity-bag in her 
left paw. So Puss bowed very politely, and then she 
asked him to walk with her and talk with her, for she 
was lonely, don’t you see, and longed for some one’s 
company. 

So Puss told her how he had frightened the tailor 
mice, and this made her laugh. “I did something 
like that myself,” she said. “I went to London to see 
the Queen, and while I was there I frightened a little 
mouse under a chair.” 

“Tell me about it,” said Puss. “I have never seen 
the Queen.” So the pussy cat commenced: 

“When I reached Buckingham Palace I was shown 
into a magnificent room, and just as I heard the Queen 
coming down the stairs a little mouse ran across the 
room. And, oh dear me! I forgot all about my 
manners and went after that mouse, and the first 
thing I knew I was out of the front door and the big 
88 


ANOTHER PUSSY-CAT LADY 


tall footman wouldn’t let me in again. So I never met 
the Queen. Wasn’t that too bad?” 

“And you didn’t even catch the mouse?” asked 
Puss, with a grin. 



“No,” said the pussy cat, and then she said good- 
by to our little traveler, who once more set out upon 
the road in search of adventure. 

And toward evening he came in sight of a little 
cottage, and the cheerful light in the kitchen window 
made Puss hope that he would find supper and lodging 
for the night. But no one answered his knock, so he 
pushed open the door and walked in. And just then 
7 89 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

a motherly-looking woman came down the stairs and 
said: 

“Diddle, diddle dumpling, my son John 
Went to bed with his breeches on. 

One stocking off and one stocking on. 

Diddle, diddle dumpling, my son John.” 

And after that there was a great noise overhead, 
and pretty soon a small boy came tumbling down 
the stairs. And when he saw Puss he wanted to play 
with him right away. 

“But I have no time to play with boys who go to 
bed with their breeches on and one stocking off and 
one stocking on,” said Puss, Junior. And he picked 
up his cap and was about to leave, although it was 
dark outside, for he didn’t like naughty boys any more 
than you and I do. 

“Please don’t go,” said John’s mother, and she gave 
Puss a saucer of cream, and after that she turned to 
her naughty son and said: 

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Do you 
know who this is? Why, he’s the son of Puss in 
Boots!” And this made John dreadfully ashamed of 
himself, and he ran up-stairs to bed and went to sleep 
right away, with both his stockings off and his breeches, 
too. But if Puss hadn’t been there perhaps that 
naughty boy would have given his poor mother lots 
of trouble. 


SIMPLE SIMON 


O NE morning as Puss, Junior, was tramping along 
a country road he met Simple Simon going to 
the fair. I guess everybody was going to the fair 
that beautiful morning, for the road was crowded 
with wagons and carriages of all sorts. There were 
farm wagons full of merry boys and girls, and buggies 
with old people in old-fashioned clothes, and high 
carts with gaily dressed ladies, and men in red coats. 
And, oh dear me! how dusty it was! But Puss 
didn’t mind that, for he was used to traveling, and a 
good traveler doesn’t complain. 

Well, he and Simple Simon had nearly reached the 
fair grounds when a man with a big tray of delicious 
pastry came up. “Pies, pies!” he cried, and when 
Puss, Junior, and Simple Simon looked at them, they 
felt very hungry, oh, my, yes! 

Said Simple Simon to the Pieman, 

“Let me taste your ware.” 

Said the Pieman to Simple Simon, 

“Show me first your penny.” 

Said Simple Simon to the Pieman, 

“Sir, I haven’t any.” 

91 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 



“But I have!” cried little Puss, Junior, and he took 
a gold piece out of his pocket, and after that they 
both had all the pie they could eat, and when they had 


finished, Puss said, “Is there any custard on my whis- 
kers?’- for he had eaten custard pie, and apple pie, 
and peach pie, and plum pie, and lemon pie, and so 
had Simple Simon. 

And then Simple Simon said, “Is there any on 
mine?” which made Puss laugh, for Simon didn’t have 
a single whisker, for he was only a boy, you know. 


SIMPLE SIMON 


“You’ve got a big smear of raspberry on your 
chin,” said Puss, Junior, and after that they went 
into the fair grounds and looked at all the funny 
sights — the fat woman and the thin man, the giant 
and the dwarf, and the dreadful skeleton man, and a 
two-headed cow, and all the other queer sights. 

And when there was nothing more to see, Puss said 
good-by to Simple Simon and went on his way, and 
by and by he came to a hill, and just then, all of a 
sudden, 

Down the hill came Jack and Jill 
And the pail of water after. 

Said Jill to Jack, “Alas, alack! 

This is no time for laughter.” 

And, oh dear me! Puss, Junior, was spattered all 
over, and the red tops of his boots were wet and some 
of the water got inside and made his toes damp, and 
you know how a cat hates water! And if the sun 
hadn’t been shining brightly in the sky, I don’t 
believe Puss would have got dry for a long time. 
Well, after that, he left the road and climbed over a 
fence into a meadow, and there he met Old Mother 
Hubbard’s dog, who was burying a bone in the 
ground for dinner the next day. 

And in the next story you shall hear what he said 
to little Puss, Junior. 


OLD MOTHER HUBBARD 


OU remember, in the last story, I promised to 



tell you what Old Mother Hubbard’s dog said 
to Puss, Junior. Well, the first thing he did was to 
invite Puss to take a look at the old lady’s cupboard. 
“ Perhaps you can find something to eat there.” And 
the old dog laughed and wagged his tail; and then he 
covered up the bone which he had placed in a hole 
in the ground and told Puss to follow him, and by 
and by they came to Old Mother Hubbard’s cottage. 
And after they had gone in they looked around, but 
the old lady was nowhere to be seen. But in a few 
minutes they heard her coming up the garden walk. 

“I’m going to make believe I’m starved,” said the 
naughty old dog, and he rolled over on the floor and 
lay very still. 

“Oh dear, oh dear!” cried Old Mother Hubbard, 


“Here I’ve gone to the baker to get him some bread. 
And when I get back my poor dog is dead,” 

and then she began to cry. And all this time she 
hadn’t seen Puss, for her eyes were full of tears and 
94 


OLD MOTHER HUBBARD 


she kept wiping them with her handkerchief. And 
after that she went out again and closed the door. 
“How can you be so deceitful ?” asked Puss. 

“ I never thought she’d suppose I’d die as easily as 



all that,” said the old dog, and he looked ashamed of 
himself; and I think he should have, for it wasn’t 
very nice to fool an old lady, for it wasn’t her fault that 
her cupboard was bare, for she was dreadfully poor, 
you know. 

By and by she returned, and when she saw her dog 
sitting up and laughing she said: 

“Here I’ve gone out to buy him a coffin. 

And when I get back I find him a-laughing,” 

95 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


and then she patted him on the head. “I don’t 
believe you were hungry, after all,” she said. 

“Let me lend you a gold piece,” said little Puss, 
Junior, coming out from behind a chair. “It is part of 
my fortune,” and he handed Old Mother Hubbard a 
sovereign. 

“Mercy me! Is this Puss in Boots,” exclaimed the 
old lady, “or is it his son?” 

“Puss, Junior, at your service,” and our little 
traveler bowed very low. 

“Thank you,” said Old Mother Hubbard. “Now 
you two make yourselves comfortable while I go to 
the butcher,” and she straightened her bonnet and 
went out. And then the old dog took out his pipe 
and smoked it and Puss took off his red-top boots and 
sat by the fire, and after a while the kind old lady 
returned, and when she saw what her dog was doing 
she cried: 

“I’ve gone to the butcher to buy some fresh tripe. 

And when I get back you are smoking a pipe. 

“He’s a wonderful dog,” she continued as she set 
the supper-table. It was only last week 

“I went to the tailor to buy him a coat, 

And when I got back he was riding the goat.” 

And after supper 

The dame made a courtesy. 

The dog made a bow, 

And Puss in Boots, Junior, 

Said, “Good-by. Meow!” 

96 


THE BAD BLACK SPIDER 


O NE morning as Puss, Junior, was wending his 
way through a pleasant meadow he heard the 
blast of a horn, and the next moment a herd of cows 
ran out of the corn-field across the road. 

“I wonder who blew that horn,” thought Puss, and 
he walked over to a haystack, where he found a little 
boy dressed in blue fast asleep. But he wasn’t really 
asleep, for he laughed as Puss tiptoed by and said: 

“ I’m Little Boy Blue who blows his horn, 

To bring the cows from the field of corn,” 

and then he blew again on his silver horn. 

“I thought you were asleep,” said Puss. 

“I was,” said Boy Blue, “till I woke up,” and he 
laughed again and blew on his horn as loud as a 
rooster that crows at dawn, and then from the meadow 
came his sheep, at little Puss, Junior, to take a peep! 
There, my typewriter has gone and made a poem and 
written it all wrong! Isn’t that too bad? 

And just then, all of a sudden, Little Miss Muffet 
came running across the dewy grass, for it was still 
early morning, you know. 

97 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


“Oh, Little Miss Muffet, where is your tuffet?” 
asked Puss, Junior. 

“ Oh, a naughty big spider just sat down beside her, 
And frightened Miss Muffet away,” 

sang Little Boy Blue. But the little girl never 
stopped. She kept on running until she looked like a 



little butterfly at the other end of the meadow. And 
then the big black spider who sat down beside her 
crawled up and said: 

“If you are fond of curds and whey 
You’ll find enough to eat to-day. 

For Little Miss Muffet has left by her tuffet 
A bowlful upon a tin tray.” 

98 


THE BAD BLACK SPIDER 


“You’re a bad spider,” said Puss. 

“Yes, you’re a mean insect,” said Little Boy Blue. 

And this made the Spider so ashamed of himself 
that he went back and spun a web and crawled up 
on one end and never came out again. 

And after that Puss went upon his way, for he was 
bent on finding another fortune, for he had almost 
spent his last sovereign, and by and by he came to a 
pretty cottage where stood a little girl, singing, 

“Oh dear, what can the matter be? 

Johnny’s so long at the fair.” 

“ Did he promise to bring you a pair of blue ribbons 
to tie up your bonny brown hair?” asked Puss, re- 
peating his Mother Goose as well as you and I, and 
maybe a little better. 

“Yes, he did,” replied the little girl, with a pout. 
“Did you see him?” 

“I met Simple Simon and the Pieman going to the 
fair,” replied our little traveler, “but I never saw 
Johnny.” 

And then, all of a sudden, they heard some one 
whistling, and Johnny came running up with a pair 
of blue ribbons in his hand. 


THE PEA-GREEN BOAT 


O NE morning, as Puss, Junior, proceeded on his 
journey of adventure, he came to a black- 
smith shop where a small boy stood outside with his 
hobby-horse. It was a very pretty hobby-horse, 
for at the end of the pole were fastened red and yellow 
wheels, and as one of them had come off, the little 
rider was at a loss to know what to do. So he said to 
the kind blacksmith: 

“Robert Barnes, my fellow fine, 

Can you shoe this horse of mine?” 

And then the blacksmith answered: 

“Yes, good sir, that I can. 

As well as any other man; 

There’s a nail and there’s a prod, 

And now, good sir, your horse is shod.” 

And this so pleased the little boy that he turned 
to Puss, Junior, and said, “Would you like to ride my 
hobby-horse ?” And this madv the good-natured 
blacksmith smile, and after he had blown up his fire 
till the sparks flew all about like stars, he said : 

100 


THE PEA-GREEN BOAT 


“I will hold the horse, Sir Cat, while you mount.” 
So Puss got on, saying to the little boy, with a grin 
which showed all his nice white teeth and made his 
whiskers stand out like a cavalryman’s, “Do you 
think he will balk?” 

“Oh no,” said the little boy. “He’s a vpry gentle 
horsey.” 

Well, sir! Puss knew how to ride that hobby-horse 
just as well as he did his Good Gray Steed and he 
pranced up and down the sidewalk till he was tired 
out, and then he said good-by and started off again, 
for a traveler may not tarry long in one place, you 
know, and Puss was bent on finding new adventures as 
well as a fortune. And by and by, after he had gone 
for many a mile, he came to the seashore. 

“Jump into my boat,” said the owner, who was a 
little owl. 


The owl and the pussy cat went to sea 
In a beautiful pea-green boat. 

“Take the tiller,” said the winky, blinky bird, 
for the sunlight hurt his eyes dreadfully, you know. 
So Puss steered the pea-green boat while the owl put 
on a pair of green spectacles. And then, pretty soon, 
the wind blew harder and harder and the waves 
dashed higher and higher, and it was mighty hard 
work guiding the pea-green boat, and Puss began to 
fear a shipwreck.’ 


101 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


Suddenly, “Ship ahoy!” sounded across the water, 
and a small round object appeared in the distance. 
So Puss headed the pea-green boat toward it and 
pretty soon they saw three men in a bowl. 

“Three wise men of Gotham, 

They went to sea in a bowl,” 

said the owl, “but I don’t think much of their wisdom, 
for the bowl looks cracked to me.” 

“Help, help!” cried the three wise men, and if 
Puss hadn’t come up close enough so that they could 
scramble into the pea-green boat, I guess they would 
all have been drowned, for just then, all of a sudden, 
down went the old cracked bowl to the bottom of the 
deep blue sea, where a mermaid found it and filled it 
full of sea-shells. 

“That was a lucky escape,” cried one of the three 
wise men, and then they all began to sing: 

“Oh the old cracked bowl is resting on a shoal 
At the bottom of the deep blue ocean. 

And we never more will sail in a bowl or in a pail, 

For a cracked bowl cannot stand the awful motion.” 

And after that Puss turned the pea -green boat 
toward the town of Gotham and landed the three 
wise men on the wharf. And then he set sail again, 

for he didn’t want to stay in a town where the wise 
102 


THE PEA-GREEN BOAT 


men went to sea in such a nonsensical craft as a 
cracked bowl. 

“If their bowl had been stronger 
They might have sailed longer/* 

laughed Puss, but the wise little owl said nothing, 
for he was looking across the sea where a big whale 
was spouting water high up into the air. 

“Don’t get too near that old whale,” said the owl, 
“for we don’t want to get a shower-bath.” So Puss 
steered the boat in another direction, and by and by 
a school of dolphins came by, turning over and over in 
the water like cart-wheels. And the first thing he 
knew one of them hit the pea-green boat a dreadful 
blow and made a big crack in it. 

Well, if Puss hadn’t been a fine sailor he never 
would have reached land. But he did, and then he 
left the owl to mend the boat and started off on his 


journey. 


PUSS MEETS AN OLD FRIEND 


NE bright morning, as Puss, Junior, was wending 



his way down a pleasant valley, whom should 
he run across but Goosey, Goosey Gander. 

“You have come just in time,” said our little 
traveler, “for my legs are tired. Carry me on your 
good strong back and fly away with me.” 

And the Gander was very obliging. He took Puss, 
Junior, on his back and by and by they came to an old 
barn-yard, and just then 


A cat came singing out of a barn, 

A pair of bagpipes under her arm. 

She sang nothing but fiddle-de-dee. 
Worried a mouse and a bumblebee. 
Puss began purring, mouse ran away, 
And off the bee flew with a loud huzza ! 


“You play very badly, Miss Pussy,” said our little 
traveler, “or was it your purr that frightened the 
little mouse and the bee?” But the little Scotch 
pussy cat did not answer. She shouldered her bagpipes 
and marched off. And after that Puss, Junior, ran 
up to the bumblebee and asked him for some honey. 


104 


PUSS MEETS AN OLD FRIEND 


“Why don’t you make your own honey?” buzzed the 
bee, crossly. “I’m tired of making honey and not 
getting any money for it.” And I don’t blame him, 



either, do you, for it isn’t very nice to work all 
summer to fill a beehive with honey and then have 
some big man come around and take it away. 

“Oh, well,” said Puss, “fly away, then, to your 
flowers.” And he turned around and went back to 
Goosey Gander. 

8 


105 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


And the kind old Gander said: 

“Get on my back again, and we’ll fly away, for 
what is the use of staying here?” So off they flew, 
across the sky so bright and blue, and after a while 
they came to a stile, that was not nearly as high as 
the bright blue sky. And who do you suppose was 
leaning on the stile? Why, Little Jack Horner, who 
had left his corner because his thumb wouldn’t pull 
out a plum! And, of course, he was very cross. 
Oh dear me, yes ! He was as cross as two sticks, as 
the grown-ups say, and that means a great deal. 

“I’ll tell Mother Goose when I see her how cross 
you are,” said Puss, Junior, for he didn’t like cross 
little boys, and neither do I, and neither do you, I’m 
sure. So Little Jack Horner went back to his corner 
in the old snake fence, because he was in a great big 
meadow, you know, just covered with daisies, and 
pretty soon along came a great big fly who told him 
where there was some pie in a baker’s shop, and then 
he and Puss and Goosey Gander went with him and 
had a great feast. 

And in the next story you shall hear what happened 
after that. 


THE OLD MILLER 


“The miller he grinds his corn, his corn. 

The miller he grinds his corn, his corn. 

And Little Boy Blue comes winding his horn. 

With a hop and a skip and a jump.” 

LITTLE bird in a tree near by was singing 



l \ this song as Puss, Junior, came in sight of the 
old mill, where the water turned the mill-wheel over 
and over and the little silver fishes swam around and 
around in the quiet pond. 

And as soon as the rusty, dusty miller saw Puss, 
Junior, he stepped out of the old mill and said : 

“ Good day, my good Sir Cat. What brings you to 
my old mill?” Now, of course, Puss had no real 
reason for coming; he was just traveling along, you 
know, seeking adventure; so he replied: 

“I have no corn for you to grind, my good miller. 
But will you sit down for a while and talk? I’m a 
traveler, seeking adventure, and I have seen many 
sights.” 

Then the rusty, dusty miller sat down, but he didn’t 
brush the flour off his hat nor off his coat, for it would 


107 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


only cover him again, you see, and what was the use 
of doing the same thing three and four times a day? 
And I guess that is the reason they called him the 
“rusty, dusty miller.” 



“You know,” said little Puss, Junior, “my father 
is the famous Puss in Boots, seneschal to my Lord of 
Car abas.” 

“I have read of him in a book,” replied the miller. 
108 


THE OLD MILLER 


“So has every one,” said Puss, Junior, with a grin. 
“ But I am not contented to stay in one place. I must 
be ever on the go, and that is the reason I left the 
castle to seek my fortune.” And Puss sighed and 
stroked his whiskers, for, after all, it’s not such an 
easy thing to find a fortune. One must work for it, 
for he who spends must earn, as the old saying goes. 

“Well, I stay right here and grind the farmers’ 
corn,” said the miller, “and every morning they 
make the flour into cakes for little boys and girls. I 
find it is much better to be contented with one’s lot 
than to be forever moving from one spot to another.” 
And after that the old miller dusted off his cap and 
patted the gray cat that came out of the mill to sit by 
his side. And wasn’t it strange? She never took any 
notice of Puss, Junior, at all. I guess she thought 
a cat with boots and spurs was not an ordinary cat, 
and maybe she was right in that, for Puss was very 
different from the cats you see every day in houses 
and barns. 

Oh every day I grind my corn, 

Which the farmers bring at early dawn. 

And when I have tied the bags up tight 
They come to get them every night. 

And then the meal is made into dough 
For cakes and puddings white as snow. 

I hope each child at breakfast-time 
Will think of the dusty miller’s rhyme. 


f 


SWEEPING COBWEBS 


OU remember, in the last story, that Puss had 



A made a visit on the rusty, dusty miller, who 
ground his corn at early dawn for the farmers to make 
into nice pies and cake. Well, after he had stayed a 
little while under the great willow-tree that stood by 
the old mill, he walked away, and by and by he came 
to a hill. And right here I must tell you that Goosey 
Gander wasn’t with him. You see, that old goose 
grew tired of flying with Puss on his back, and so de- 
cided to stay with the miller and eat corn for the rest 
of his life. 

Well, when Puss came to the foot of the hill he said 
to himself, “Shall I climb this hill or shall I turn off 
into the meadow and follow the brook?” And while 
he was wondering what to do an old woman flew by 
in a basket. And she was the old woman who went 
up to the moon to see the man who came down too 
soon. 

And then a little yellow bird began to sing : 

“There was an old woman tossed in a blanket 
Seventeen times as high as the moon. 

But where she was going no mortal could tell. 

For under her arm she carried a broom. 


110 


SWEEPING COBWEBS 


‘Old woman, old woman, old woman,’ said I, 
‘Whither, oh, whither, oh whither, so high?* 

‘To sweep the cobwebs from the sky. 

And I’ll be with you by and by.’ ” 

“ Please take me with you,” cried little Puss, Junior. 
So the old woman came down close to the meadow 



and Puss jumped into her basket, and pretty soon they 
were flying high up in the air. And every time they 

came across a cobweb she brushed it away with her 
111 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


broom, for she wanted the sky bright and clear, you 
see; and perhaps that is why the sky is so bright on 
Monday, for that is the day, so they tell me, she likes 
to do her sweeping. 

“What do you do on rainy days?” asked Puss. 

“Shine the rainbows, dearie,” said the old woman. 

“Dear me,” answered Puss, “and did you ever 
find the pot of gold that is hung at one end?” 

“No, not yet,” she replied, “for the fairies are ever 
on the watch, and before I can get there they take it 
away and hide it in the woods.” 

“Well, I think you ought to be paid for keeping the 
sky so bright and clean,” said Puss. But the old wom- 
an did not reply, for just then a strong wind blew 
the basket into a tree-top where a robin had a nest 
full of pretty blue eggs. And when he saw Puss he 
was frightened to death, for he was afraid of cats, 
you see, and so are all birds that I ever knew. 

“Don’t worry,” said our little traveler. “I won’t 
steal your china-blue eggs.” 

And the old woman said, “Neither will I,” and after 
that the robin felt so happy that he sang his song 
just as if nothing had happened. 


ROBIN HOOD 



OU remember, in the last story, that the old 


A woman who flew in her basket across the sky 
and swept off the cobwebs with a broom had taken 
Puss, Junior, for a ride, don’t you? And that they 
had been blown into a tree, where a little robin had 
his nest full of china-blue eggs? Well, after that the 
old woman and Puss climbed down to the ground and 
the robin threw the basket down to them. And after 
that who should come by but Robin Hood and his 
merrie men. And they were all dressed in green, 
with great long bows and arrows, and, oh dear me! 
they were a jolly lot! And when they saw the old 
woman with her magic basket — for it must have been 
a magic basket to fly through the air, don’t you 
think so? — they said: 

“Old woman, we have often read about you in 
Mother Goose. We are delighted to meet you.” And 
then Puss, Junior, stepped from behind the tree where 
he had been hiding, and when Robin Hood saw him 
he said: 

“Puss in Boots! Well, I declare!” and he held out 
his hand and shook our little traveler by the paw. 


113 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


“We have often read about your famous father,” 
said the bold robber, for Robin Hood was a robber, 
you know, and if you don’t, you must read about him. 



And then the old woman asked Robin Hood to 
mend a broken place in her basket. And after that 
she got into it and sailed away, 

“ Up in the sky ever so high 
I’ll sweep the cobwebs off the sky.” 

And pretty soon she disappeared, for the basket was 
going at a tre-men-dous rate of speed. 

114 


ROBIN HOOD 


“Well, my little Cat,” said Robin Hood, “whither 
are you bound?” 

“I’m seeking my fortune,” replied Puss, Junior. 

“Ha! ha!” laughed Robin Hood. “This is a poor 
place to seek one’s fortune. For my merrie men and 
I take good care that we find any fortunes which may 
happen to be in sight!” 

So after that Puss thought he might as well be 
going on his way. And with a bow to the robbers 
bold he started off, and by and by he came to a brook 
that was full of little silver fish. And the King fish 
had a crown of gold on his head and the Queen fish 
had a golden throne. And when they saw Puss they 
said: 

“Good day, Sir Cat. What brings you here?” 

And Puss replied, “I am seeking my fortune.” 

“Look in the bottom of this stream,” said the King 
fish, “and you will find gold in plenty.” And sure 
enough, on the bottom of the stream was a thick layer 
of gold. And Puss filled his purse and went upon his 
way. 

And in the next story you shall hear more of his 
adventures. 


THE GINGERBREAD HUT 


ELL, as Puss trudged along through the forest. 



V V where he had met Robin Hood and the gen- 
erous King fish, he noticed that the ground was 
strewn with little white pebbles as if some one had 
dropped them to mark the way. And by and by he 
came in sight of a gingerbread cottage. And the 
gingerbread looked so nice and fresh that he broke 
off a little piece and ate it. And just then, all of a 
sudden, a voice cried out: 


“Nibble, nibble like a mouse. 
Who is nibbling at my house?” 


And after that the door opened and there stood an 
old witch leaning on a crutch. Her nose was very long 
and crooked and her chin was crooked, too, and they 
almost met, so that I don’t see how she was able to 
eat. 

“ Won’t you come in, my dear?” she said in a cracked 
voice. “ I’ll give you something to eat, but you mustn’t 
eat up my house,” and then she smiled, but it was a 
dreadful sort of smile. Oh dear, yes ! It was a hor- 
rible grin. 


116 


THE GINGERBREAD HUT 


“Fm not afraid,” thought Puss, and he went inside, 
and then the witch said : 

“Gretel, get this nice cat something to eat, for I 
see he is a traveler, and a traveler is always hungry.” 



So the little gitl went to the cupboard and brought 
out some bread and milk. But, oh dear me! She 
looked very sad and her eyes were red with crying, 
I guess, for there were tears on her cheeks. 

117 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


And just then the little owl who had sailed with 
Puss in the pea-green boat flew into the cottage and 
whispered something to Puss, but the old witch 
didn’t see him, for she was looking the other way. 

And what the little owl whispered was that Gretel’s 
brother, Hansel, was locked up in the stable. And 
when Puss heard that he was angry, for what right 
had that wicked witch to do such a thing as that? 
And all this time the old witch was busy making 
bread, and when the dough was ready to bake she 
called to Gretel, “Is the oven hot?” And then the 
poor little girl began to cry, for she was dreadfully 
afraid of that wicked witch. 

So the witch went over to look in the oven, and as 
she leaned down to peep in Puss gave her a great 
shove and in she went, and before I’ve even time to 
tell it he closed the door with a bang. And then he 
ran out to the barn and unlocked the door with a big 
key which he had found behind the kitchen door, and 
set little Hansel free. “And now you can both go 
home, for I know your mother is anxious about you,” 
said Puss. So the two children started off at once and 
followed the line of little white pebbles, which the 
wise little Hansel had dropped when he and his sister 
had come into the great, gloomy forest. 

And I know they both got home safely, for a little 
bird who had his nest near Gretel’s window told me 
so just the other day. 


BARON BRUIN 


TTER Hansel and Gretel left the gingerbread 



ii. cottage where the wicked witch had made 
them prisoners, as I told you in the last story, Puss 
opened the oven door very carefully to see what had 
become of that dreadful witch, and what do you 
suppose he found. A big smoke-colored feather, 
that was all. 

“Put it in your cap,” said his little friend the owl. 
“It’s a beautiful plume and will guard you against 
all evil.” 

So Puss did, and he looked mighty handsome, let 
me tell you, with the long gray feather hanging down 
over his shoulder. 

And after that they both started off through the 
woods, for the owl’s home was not very far away, 
and he was anxious to show Puss his family, Mrs. 
Owl and the two little Owls, and maybe a cousin or 
two. 

Well, after a while, not so very long, they came 
to a big hollow tree. “This is where I live,” said the 
owl, and when Mrs. Owl heard his voice she looked 
out of the front door, and the two little Owls peeked 


119 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

out of a window, and then they all flew down to meet 
Puss. 

So he sat down and told them the story of the 
gingerbread witch, just as I’ve told it to you, and 
then it was time for him to be on his way, so he said 
good-by and started off, and after a while, not so very 
long, he came to a little cottage in a garden where 
two rose-bushes grew, one white and the other red. 

“This must be where Snow-white and Rose-red 
live,” he thought, and then he went around to the 
back of the house, for no one answered his knock. 

And just then, all of a sudden, a big black bear 
came round the corner and said in a deep, growly 
voice : 

“How do you do, Sir Cat!” 

“How is your health, Baron Bruin?” answered 
Puss. And, oh dear me! it was all he could do to 
keep his voice from trembling, for that bear was very 
big and fierce. 

“Don’t be afraid of me,” said the bear. “I’m off 
now to the woods to look after my treasures. You will 
find two of my treasures in the kitchen.” And then 
he ran off into the wood. 

And when Puss reached the kitchen door, he knew 
what the bear had meant by saying two of his treas- 
ures were in the kitchen, for there stood Snow-white 
and Rose-red, two of the prettiest little girls in all 
Fairy-land. And they knew Puss, Junior, the minute 
they saw him, for they had read all about his famous 
father, Puss in Boots, you see. And after that their 
120 


BARON BRUIN 


mother came in and asked them to get her some fire- 
wood from the forest. So Puss went with them, and 
when they had gone into the forest just a little ways 
they saw a dwarf whose long beard was caught under 
a fallen tree. He was tugging away, trying to free 
himself, and making the most dreadful faces all the 
while. 

“Go away and stop looking at me!” he cried, and 
he tugged some more, but his beard wouldn’t come 
out from under the heavy trunk. 

And just then something happened; but you must 
wait to hear what it was in the next story, for I have 
no more room in this one. 

9 


THE BLEATING GOAT 


1 ET us see. We left off in the last story, where 
the little dwarf was trying to pull his long 
beard from under the fallen tree, while Puss, Junior, 
and Snow-white and Rose-red stood near by, watching 
him. And then something happened. 

Well, all of a sudden, the big black bear who had 
called the two little girls his treasures, you remember, 
in the last story, came running up. 

“Now I’ve got you!” he growled, taking hold of 
the dwarf. 

“Don’t hurt him,” said Puss, while the two little 
girls began to cry. 

“He is a wicked dwarf and has cast a spell over me,” 
said the bear, and he stood up on his hind legs and 
threw back part of his long hair, showing a beautiful 
green-embroidered suit beneath. “I am really a 
prince, but this wicked dwarf has turned me into a 
bear.” 

So Puss called to Snow-white and Rose-red and led 
them away, and then the bear sat down beside the 
dwarf and said to him: 

“ Give me the ring on your little finger or I will kill 
122 


THE BLEATING GOAT 


you.” And the reason he wanted the little ring was 
because it was the secret of the little man’s power, 
and if the bear once got it he would regain his natural 
shape. But the dwarf wouldn’t give up the ring, so 



the bear took it, and it wasn’t such an easy thing to 
do, either, for that little dwarf was very strong. And 
as soon as the bear put the ring on his own hand he 
changed back into a handsome prince and the little 
dwarf turned into a toadstool. And perhaps that is the 
j-eason toadstools are poisonous, but don’t you eat 
any to find out, for I once knew of a little boy who did 
and he had a dreadful stomach ache. 

And after that Puss went upon his way, and as he 
journeyed along he whistled to himself to keep up his 
123 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


spirits, for it is very lonely traveling by oneself, let 
me tell you, and by and by he heard a little goat 
bleating. And then a soft, low voice said : 

“Bleat, little goat, bleat. 

Cover the table with something to eat.” 

And then, all of a sudden, a little table appeared on 
the green meadow. And a little girl sat down to a 
lovely dinner — ice-cream and apple pie and all sorts of 
good things. And of course this was the most sur- 
prising thing that Puss had ever seen, and he looked 
all around to find the little goat. And then from 
behind a bush a white goat appeared and sat down at 
the other end of the table. 

“I keep forgetting I’m in Fairy-land,” thought 
Puss to himself, for, of course, all these things seemed 
very strange to him. And after the little girl had 
finished she said : 

“Bleat, my little goat, I pray, 

And take the table quite away.” 

And the next moment the table disappeared and all 
that was left of the good things to eat. 

And in the next story you shall hear what happened 
after that. 


THE MAGIC TREE 


Y OU remember in the last story that as soon as the 
little goat bleated the table disappeared, with 
all the good things to eat. And then Puss said to the 
little girl: 

“ I wish I had a little goat like yours. He’d make a 
fine companion to me on my travels.” 

“I couldn’t part with him,” said the little girl, 
whose name was Two Eyes, “for without him I should 
have only crusts to eat.” 

“Oh, are you the Two Eyes in the Fairy Story- 
book?” asked Puss, and he curled his whiskers and 
smiled at her. And after that he went home with her 
and the little goat, and when they were quite near her 
house she said: 

“I fear my mother and sisters will treat you ill if 
you come into the house.” 

So Puss said he’d sleep in the stable with the little 
goat. 

Early next morning Puss was awakened by a noise, 
and, peeking out of the stable, he saw one of the cruel 
sisters bending over the poor little goat, which she had 

just killed to spite Two Eyes. 

125 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


“What shall I do?” he thought, and then, all of a 
sudden, a wonderful tree sprang up from the spot 
where the poor little goat's blood had been spilled. 



Its leaves were silver and its fruit gold, and the 
morning wind made it sing like a harp. 

And after that a handsome Prince rode up on horse- 
back, and the three cruel sisters, on seeing him 
126 


THE MAGIC TREE 

pushed poor little Two Eyes under a barrel which 
they were about to fill with the golden apples. 

But the noble Prince didn’t see this, for he was still 
too far away. And when he rode up he asked for 
some of the golden fruit. But, oh dear me! when 
those cruel sisters tried to pick the golden apples the 
boughs of the wonderful tree sprang away from their 
hands and they couldn’t touch the fruit. 

“Now’s the time for me to do something,” thought 
Puss, and he ran out of the stable and said: “Noble 
Prince, the fairest of the four sisters is hidden in this 
barrel. ’Tis she who owns this wonderful tree, and 
only she can pluck the fruit.” 

And as soon as he heard that the noble Prince 
sprang from his horse and lifted up the barrel, and 
there sat little Two Eyes with her lap full of golden 
apples. 

“Take her away with you,” whispered Puss, “for 
she is most cruelly treated by her family.” And then 
the Prince lifted her up on his horse, and after that 
he took Puss in his arms and sprang into the saddle, 
and away they went on his fast horse to his stately 
castle in the green woods far away. 

Over the meadows and over the lea' 

The noble Prince is riding so free. 

With little Two Eyes for his beautiful bride. 

And little Puss, Junior, safe at his side. 


THE LITTLE DOOR IN THE STUMP 


H EIGH-HO! now for another adventure!’’ said 
little Puss, Junior, as he walked merrily along 
the King’s highway. For there are beautiful roads 
in Mother Goose Land, let me tell you, and happy 
little people all about. 

And just then, all of a sudden, the jolly miller from 
the river Dee, who looked upon his pillow and saw a 
great big flea, came along, and when he saw Puss, 
Junior, he said: 

“Ha! ha! little friend. Do we meet again?” 

And then he took Puss by the arm, and together 
they went down the road until they came to a stile 
where the Maiden All Forlorn in days gone by used to 
stand and cry. But nowadays she smiled. For she 
was as happy as could be, and the reason was because 
the Man All Tattered and Torn had made a lot of 
money and had married her, and they lived in a pretty 
house on the hill near by. And when she saw Puss 
and the jolly miller she laughed out loud and said: 

“Puss in Boots, Junior, I’m so glad to see you.” 
And do you know, she picked him up and kissed him, 
although at one time she had cried when the Man All 
128 


THE LITTLE DOOR IN THE STUMP 


Tattered and Torn had kissed her; but that, of course, 
was before he had shaved and made a lot of money! 
And after that Puss went upon his way; and after 



a while he came to a thick forest, so he left the highway 
and trudged along a little path which wound in and 
out among the trees, and by and by he grew so tired 
he sat down to rest on an old stump. 

And while he sat there, wondering where next to 
129 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

go, his sword hit the old stump, and, to his surprise, a 
little door flew open and there, right in plain sight, 
was a little blue egg. 

And when Puss picked it up it also opened, and 
inside was a bright gold key. 

“Fit this to the little yellow door,” sang a yellow 
bird from a tree-top near by. So Puss did as he was 
told, and when he had opened another little door on 
the inside of the old stump he saw a narrow passage, 
which he followed. But first he drew his sword from 
the scabbard, for he wasn’t going to take any chances 
of meeting an ugly gnome, I can tell you. 

Well, pretty soon, not so very far, he came to a large 
room where sat a queer little figure dressed in green. 

“Good day, Sir Cat,” said the gnome, for it was one 
of the little men who live underground, you know. 
“What can I do for you?” 

“I am seeking a fortune,” replied Puss. 

“Ha! ha!” laughed the little man, “and do you 
expect to find it, for that reason?” And then he 
laughed again, and the cave shook and trembled, for 
he laughed very loud, you see, and then a great big 
diamond fell from the roof. “Take the precious 
stone,” said the dwarf. “You have found your 
fortune.” 

And in the next story you shall hear what Puss did 
with the beautiful diamond. 


PUSS GOES WEST 


“Over the hills and far away. 

Out in the West where the sky is gray. 

Till the sun goes down o’er the purple hills 
And the clouds are fringed with their crimson frills. 

Out in the West where the mountain crest 
Goes to sleep in the sky’s blue breast. 

And the tall green grass on the prairie sings 
To the tune the West Wind gaily brings.” 

T HIS is what the little yellow bird sang as Puss, 
Junior, with the beautiful big diamond which 
the dwarf had just given him in the last story, walked 
out of the old hollow stump. 

“And now that you have found your fortune,” said 
the bird, “what are you going to do with it?” 

“Leave that to me,” said Puss, gaily. “There is 
plenty to do with a fortune.” And away he went 
merrily on his way until he came to a pretty village; 
and the first shop he came to was a jewelry-store, so 
in he went and showed the big diamond to the man 
behind the counter. 

“Goodness me!” he exclaimed. “What a magnifi- 
cent diamond!” And would you believe it, he gave 
131 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


Puss over a thousand pounds for it. So Puss put the 
money in his pocket and started off again. And you 
may well believe he felt as rich as a king, for a thousand 
pounds in Mother Goose Land is indeed a fortune! 



“And now I’m going West,” said Puss to himself, 
“for that is where the yellow bird says everything is 
new and wonderful.” 

Well, by and by, after Puss had gone for many a 
mile, he came across Old Mother Goose on her 
132 



PUSS GOES WEST 


Gander. She was sitting on the roof of a big red barn 
and her Gander was in the barn-yard eating corn. 
But as soon as she saw Puss she came down to earth 
and asked him to go with her. 

“My Gander can easily take two,” she said, 
“for, although he is a trifle older than when last we 
met, he is still as strong as ever.” 

So Puss got up behind the old lady and away they 
went, over tree-top and steeple, chimney and moun- 
tain, until they came to the western part of Old 
Mother Goose Land, where lived a great giant called 
Energy. He was, oh, so big and strong and his cheeks 
were as red as the sunset, and his eyes as bright as 
stars, and his arms as big as an oak-tree, and stronger. 

“This is little Puss, Junior,” said Mother Goose. 
“He wishes to see the West.” And then the giant 
stretched out his hand and picked up Puss and smiled. 

And in the next story you shall hear what the big 
giant said, for he said it so loud that I heard it, al- 
though he was so far away. And then the big round 
sun turned a somersault over the mountain-top and 
rolled down the other side like a great ball of fire, and 
all the little fairies began to sing a sleepy song to put 
the giant’s children to sleep. 


ON THE WAY TO FAIRY-LAND 


OU remember in the last story we left Puss, 



Junior, with the big Western giant on his 
purple hill-top just as the sun was going down. Well, 
in a little while after that it grew very dark, so the 
giant said, “Mother Goose, you and Puss, Junior, 
come into my castle for the night.” So in they went, 
and, oh, dear me ! wasn’t it a great big place ! It was 
so large that Puss felt smaller than a fly, and the 
chairs were so high that he couldn’t even see the 
bottoms of the seats, and as for the table — well, it 
looked like the roof of a big building. 

But the giant only laughed when he saw how amazed 
Puss was, and he leaned over and picked him up in his 
great hand and set him on the top of the table. And 
then the Gander flew up, too, with Mother Goose on 
his back, but even then the giant’s head towered 
above them like a church-bell in a high steeple. 

“I once met the Giant of the Beanstalk,” said little 
Puss, Junior, “but he wasn’t nearly so big as you.” 

And then this big giant began to laugh, and, oh 
dear me! when he laughed the castle shook and 
trembled and the great chandelier tinkled and trinkled, 


134 


ON THE WAY TO FAIRY-LAND 


for it was all made of crystals, you know, like the kind 
grandmother used to have in her house when I was a 
little boy. 

And after that the giant showed them where they 



were to sleep, and in the morning, when Puss got up 
to dress he saw his great host walking in the garden 
picking roses that were bigger than cabbages. So 
Puss hurried down and went out in the garden, and 
as soon as the giant saw him he said, “Come to the 
stables, my little cat.” And then, wasn’t it generous 
in that giant? he gave Puss a beautiful horse. It 
was really a pony, althoiigh it was as big as a horse. 

135 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


And then Puss rode away, after saying good-by to 
Mother Goose and the giant’s family. 

Well, after Puss had ridden for many a mile he came 
to a bridge, and on a sign was written: “This is the 
way to Fairy-land.” 

Just over the bridge 
And far away, 

Is the Land where the fairies 
Love to play. 

Where dwarfs and gnomes 
And wonderful things 

Are seen by him 
Who merrily sings ► 

So Puss started right away to sing a song: 

“Oh, I’m the famous Puss in Boots, 

I mean, I’m his famous son; 

I’ve traveled far, from moon to star, 

And my journey’s just begun.” 

And before he could sing any more up jumped a little 
fairy right in his path and waved her wand. And of 
course Puss, Junior’s, horse stopped and neighed, for 
he wasn’t used to fairies, you know. He didn’t mind 
giants, but he had never seen little tiny people before. 

And in the next story you shall hear more about 
Puss in Fairy-land. 


DREAMS 



OU remember in the last story a little fairy 


-*■ stopped Puss, Junior, on his horse at the 
entrance to Fairy-land. Well, after she had waved 
her wand, she said: 

“Welcome, Puss in Boots, Junior, to Fairy-land. 
Come, I will lead you to the Prince of the fairies.” 
And then she waved her wand again and a butterfly 
appeared, and, seating herself on its back, she flew 
away with Puss, Junior, following on his horse. 
And by and by they came to a lovely dell where the 
fairy Queen was seated on a throne made of red rose 
leaves. And she was the most beautiful fairy in the 
whole forest. 

“Make a wish, Sir Cat,” she cried, “and I will 
grant it. For you are in Fairy-land, you know, where 
wishes come true and dreams are real.” 

“Am I really in such a wonderful country?” cried 
our little traveler, and he jumped off his horse and 
bowed very low at the foot of the throne. “Then I 
will make my wish!” 

But I’m not going to tell you what it was, but let you 
find it out. And while Puss made his wish the fairy 
10 137 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


Queen waved her wand over his head. And would 
you believe it, the next minute Puss, Junior, found 
himself back at the castle of my Lord of Carabas. 


And there was his father, the famous Puss in Boots, 
sitting under a tree in the rose-garden. 

“O Father dear,” cried little Puss, “here I am back 
again!” And the old cat opened his eyes — for he had 
been dozing, you know — and when he saw his son he 
138 



DREAMS 

jumped up from the chair and threw his paws around 
him. 

“My dear, dear boy!” he cried, and the tears came 
to his eyes, he was so happy. And then they both sat 
down, and Puss told him about all his travels and 
how the fairy Queen had granted his wish. And 
Puss, Junior’s, father didn’t seem to think it strange 
at all; he only smiled and patted his son on the top 
of the head just between the ears, the very place where 
cats like to be tickled, you know. And then, all of a 
sudden, little Puss, Junior, found himself in the woods, 
but there was no fairy Queen in sight and her throne 
of red roses was gone. Only the big horse which the 
giant had given him was there, quietly grazing on a 
grassy place near by. 

So Puss rubbed his eyes and looked about him. 
“Have I been dreaming?” he asked himself. But 
of course nobody answered; only the big horse looked 
up and brushed a fly off his leg with his long flowing 
tail. 

“Dear me!” said Puss. “Was it only a dream?” 

But, oh, it’s nice to dream, I think. 

To dream if dreams come true; 

And if they don’t maybe it’s nice. 

, I’d rather, wouldn’t you? 

For then at least we do the things 
We’ve often tried to do. 


THE RUBY RING 


“ lj^AIRY-LAND is a strange place,” said Puss to 

A himself as he traveled along on his big horse. 
And after a while he came to a queer little hut; and 
when he knocked at the door, for he was hungry and 
wished for something to eat, a little old woman opened 
it and said: 

“What do you wish, little traveler?” 

“Something to eat,” said Puss. “And some oats 
for my horse if you have them.” 

And then the little old woman went out to her 
stable and gave the horse some oats and took Puss 
inside her hut and gave him food, and then she got 
out her spinning-wheel and said: 

“Now tell me one of your adventures, Sir Cat; for 
I see you are a traveler.” 

“I have journeyed all through Mother Goose 
Land,” replied Puss, and he crossed his legs and 
curled his whiskers while he tried to think of a story 
to tell her. 

“One day, while I was traveling,” Puss began, “I 
met Yankee Doodle Dandy a-riding on his pony, and 
when I jumped up on his horse he wasn’t all aloney!” 

140 


THE RUBY RING 


And this funny little verse made the old woman laugh, 
for she didn’t think that a cat, even one who wore 
red-top boots, could make up poetry as he went 
along. And it does seem marvelous to me that Puss 
could do it, for I never heard of a cat who was a poet. 



“Well, what did you do after that?” asked the old 
woman. 

“ Oh, we rode along until we came to a town called 
Norwich,” answered Puss. “That’s the place where 
the Man in the Moon who came down too soon wanted 
to go, you know; only he went by the south and burnt 
his mouth by eating cold plum porridge.” 

And this made the old woman laugh still harder, 
141 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

for she couldn’t see how cold porridge would burn one’s 
mouth, and neither do I and neither do you, and the 
only reason I can think that maybe it did was because 
the porridge was made in Mother Goose Land, and 
some things there are certainly very queer, very 
queer indeed. 

And just then there came a tap at the door of the 
hut, and when the old woman opened it a funny little 
man, dressed in red with a peaked hat on his head, 
stepped inside. 

“ Good woman,” he said, and he took off his little 
cap and showed his bald head as shiny as a china egg. 
‘‘I have been commanded by the king of the dwarfs 
to give Puss, Junior, this ring.” And to Puss, Junior’s, 
surprise the little man handed him a beautiful ruby 
ring. 

“Goodness me!” said Puss. “Why did your king 
send me this?” 

“Because he once knew your father, the famous 
Puss in Boots,” replied the dwarf, “and he is anxious 
to do his son a favor.” 

And maybe Puss wasn’t pleased! Well, I just guess 
he was, for it was a magic ring and would keep away 
evil and all sorts of trouble. 

And in the next story you shall hear how lucky Puss 
was to have this beautiful ruby ring. 


THE DREADFUL BAT 


L ET me see, it was in the last story, I think, I 
J promised to tell you how the magic ring saved 
Puss, Junior, from danger. 

Well, this is the way it happened. After he left the 
hut of the little old woman, he went deep into the 
forest, and by and by it became very dark, and the 
trees grew so close together and the brambles so thick 
that Puss could go no farther. So he looked about 
him, and then, to his dismay, he found that the bram- 
bles held him fast; and after that, all of a sudden, a 
great bat flew near and said: 

“You are my prisoner!” 

And, oh dear me! Puss did not know what to do, 
for the brambles held his paws close to his side and 
he was unable to draw his sword. 

And then the bat whirred round and round and 
flew so close to Puss, Junior’s, face that he had to 
close his eyes. And this was just what the dreadful 
bat wanted him to do ! and then he took Puss, Junior’s, 
sword away from him. And maybe he would have 

killed our little traveler if, all of a sudden, that dear 
143 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


little yellow bird who is always singing or saying 
something hadn’t twittered from a tree-top: 

“Turn your magic ruby ring 
Thrice around your finger, 

Touch the bat upon the wing; 

Hasten! Do not linger!” 

And then — would you believe it? — the brambles 
parted so Puss could raise his paws, and quicker than 
a wink he turned the ruby ring around three times 
and then touched the bat on the wing with it. 

And what do you think happened then? Why, 
that dreadful bat turned into a toadstool, and Puss 
took up his sword, which had fallen on the ground, 
and cut that toadstool’s head right off. And it was a 
good thing he did, for somebody might have mistaken 
that toadstool for a mushroom and eaten it, and toad- 
stools are poisonous, you know. 

And then that little yellow bird flew down from the 
tree-top and Puss gave her some crumbs he had in his 
pocket, and after that she perched herself on his 
shoulder and showed him the way out of the forest. 

And when they came to the broad highway she flew 
away; but before she went she whispered in his ear, 
“Don’t forget your magic ring!” 

And after that Puss came to a deep river, and as 
there was no bridge he didn’t know how to cross over, 
so he sat down on the bank; and while he sat there a 

big fish swam up and said to him: “Do you want to 
144 


THE DREADFUL BAT 


cross over? If you do, get on my back and I will take 
you over.” So Puss jumped on his back and away 



they went, and Puss didn’t get the least bit wet, for 
the fish was very careful. 

And in the next story you shall hear what happened 
after that. 


SOME OLD FRIENDS 


OU remember in the last story that a kind fish 



A took Puss, Junior, across the river on his back. 
Well, as soon as Puss set foot on earth he started off 
on his travels, and by and by he came to Plum Pudding 
Town, and the first person he met was little Jack 
Horner asleep in his corner. I guess he had eaten so 
many plums that it made him sleepy. Well, anyway. 
Puss took the tip of his tail and' tickled Jack’s ear, 
and then of course the little boy woke up. 

And when he saw Puss he, was so glad that he ran 
into the baker’s shop and bought a Christmas pie 
with as many plums as you have fingers and I have 
thumbs. 

“Who else lives in this town?” asked Puss, when the 
pie was all gone. 

“Oh, the Queen of Hearts, who makes fine tarts,” 
answered Jack Horner, “and the Cold Plum Porridge 
Man, and the Patter-cake Baker’s Man, and lots 
more besides.” 

“Well, I must hurry on,” said Puss. “If I wait 
here I may eat too much,” and away he went once 
more upon his journey, and by and by, after maybe 


SOME OLD FRIENDS 



a mile, he came to a stile where stood a fat pig 
with a very fine wig. But he wasn’t the pig that 
went to Bonner, but another pig who was going to 


Londonderry. “Let us go together,” said Puss, 
“for traveling alone is sorry business.” So he and the 
pig started off, and after a while they came to a place 
that was all marshy. There were great, tall cattails 

and coarse, wiry grass and little pools of water. And 
147 



TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 

right in the middle of a large pool sat an immense big 
frog. 

“Tra-la-la-la, tra-la-la-la!” he sang, only his voice 
was very low and deep. 

“Is your name Rowley ?” asked Puss, for he had 
once met the Frog That Would A- Wooing Go, only it 
was so long ago that he had forgotten how Rowley 
looked. 

“Yes, I am Rowley !” said the frog, “and I’m now 
a lot wiser. Never again will I leave my pool.” And 
then he sang this little song: 

“A frog who would a- wooing go 
Had better have a care, 

And not suppose, because his clothes 
Are gay and debonair, 

That every lady frog who sees him 
Will most anxious be to please him.” 

And then Rowley sighed and croaked so mournfully 
that Puss and the pig ran away. For mournful people, 
you must remember, are not liked nearly as well as 
those who smile and laugh. 

And in the next story you shall hear about a little 
dog who laughed because a dish ran after a spoon — 
that is, if the dish doesn’t catch the spoon and eat 
it up. 


THE LITTLE RUG MAN 

I ET me see. Just as I was ending the story before 
-i this I made you a promise to tell you about a 
little dog who laughed because a dish ran after a 
spoon. Well, I guess you would have laughed, too, 
if you had seen such a sight, and so would I and so 
would the King of France and the President of 
England ! 

And the way it all happened was this. After the 
cow had jumped over the moon, which had happened 
a long time ago when Puss first started out on his 
travels, you know, the dish kept on rolling and rolling 
and rolling, and the spoon kept hopping and hopping, 
and they both went so far that by and by they came 
to an old farm-house, and on the back porch was a 
little woolly dog, and when he saw the dish running 
after the spoon he began to laugh, and if the dish 
hadn’t suddenly run into a rose-bush I’m afraid that 
little dog would have laughed himself to death. And 
it happened just then that Puss, Junior, came by, and 
so he picked up the plate and called to the spoon to 
stop running away. 

“You don’t want to keep this up for ever and ever,” 
149 


TRAVELS OF PUSS IN BOOTS, JR. 


said our little traveler. And then the farmer’s wife 
came out of the house. 

“Goodness me!” she cried. “Here are some little 
people from Mother Goose Land!” And then she 
began to sing: 

“I love to read dear Mother Goose , 

Those dear old nursery rhymes. 

Where every one had lots of fun 
In those old merry times. 

And little Jack Horner sat in his corner. 

And the pig flew up in the air. 

And Goosey Goose Gander so crazy to wander. 

Met the old man who fell down the stair.” 

And, goodness me! she might have kept on singing 
till doomsday if, all of a sudden, a blackbird hadn’t 
flown down and picked a cherry off her favorite tree. 
And this made her so angry that she took off one of 
her shoes and threw it at him, and of course he didn’t 
wait to pick the cherry. 

And after that Puss said good-by and went upon 
his way. And before I tell you what happened to 
him, the farmer’s wife took the runaway dish and 
spoon into her kitchen and locked them up in her 
cupboard, and now they look down from the shelf like 
ordinary dishes and spoons do who have never seen a 
cow jump over a moon. 

Well, as Puss jogged along he came across a queer 
little man sitting on a rug. And this seemed so funny 

that Puss stopped to ask him what he was doing. 

150 


THE LITTLE RUG MAN 


“Sit down beside me,” said the funny little man, 
and when Puss did the rug went up into the air just 
like an airship. Over the hills and far away it sailed. 
And in the next story you shall hear more about this 
magic rug. 

Now in the last story I promised to tell you more 
about the magic rug, but I’m dreadfully sorry to say 
there is no more room in this book for another story. 
So, do you know what I’m going to do? Well, I’ll 
tell you right away. I am putting some more Puss 
in Boots stories in another book which is to be called 
Puss in Boots , Junior , in Fairy-land. So if you want 
to hear more about him, you can, for he has some ex- 
citing adventures with giants and gnomes and meets 
many old friends of yours and mine in Fairy-land. 



THE END 












